The Prince of Wales turns 65 this month but at the age when most seek to retire, Charles has yet to start the job he born was to do.
Heir to the throne since he was three, Charles will soon be a pensioner.
And like thousands of others he will be claiming his pension this year but will be donating it to a unnamed charity which supports the elderly.
The prince is entitled to the state benefit because he paid National Insurance contributions while in the Navy in the 1970s and made voluntary contributions later.
This year, he has also experienced the joy of welcoming his first grandchild, Prince George, into the world.
A king in waiting for more than 60 years, he has carried out countless royal engagements over the decades, undertaking 480 in the UK and 112 overseas in 2012 alone.
The prince is the oldest heir to the throne for almost 300 years and the longest-serving heir to the throne.
His role supporting the Queen has strengthened in recent years and the day after he celebrates his 65th birthday on November 14 he will step in for the monarch at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) opening ceremony in Sri Lanka.
He has never before attended in place of the Queen at the bi-annual gathering of Commonwealth leaders.
Ahead of turning 65, the Prince warned the retirement industry risks becoming “unfit for purpose” if it fails to adjust to the effects of an ageing population on the environment.