Prince Charles plans to claim the government pension he qualifies for when he turns 65 on Thursday, but he still hasn't started the job he was born to do.
The eldest son of Queen Elizabeth has been heir to the throne since his mother became monarch in 1952, when he was 3. He is the longest-waiting heir apparent in Britain's history and now a grandfather.
Palace officials said Wednesday that Charles will contribute the government pension to a charity that helps elderly people.
The future king, who earns millions each year with his control of the Duchy of Cornwall, is entitled to about 110 pounds ($175) per week because of his service in the Royal Navy and voluntary contributions.
The prince and his wife, Camilla, will mark his birthday representing his mother at the Commonwealth heads of government meeting in Sri Lanka after spending part of the day in India.
'Sextortion' suspect pleads guilty: A 19-year-old man who pleaded guilty Tuesday to a "sextortion" scheme involving naked photos and videos of at least a dozen women, including Miss Teen USA, faces up to 33 months in federal prison. Jared James Abrahams pleaded guilty to four federal crimes, including extortion and unauthorized access of a computer, in a case involving victims from their late teens to their early 20s around the globe. Among them was Miss Teen USA Cassidy Wolf, who went public with the effort to extort her.
In his plea Tuesday, Abrahams admitted to taking over women's webcams to capture naked images of them and then blackmailing them for more.
Power of early education: Actress Jennifer Garner says education is "without a doubt the ticket out of poverty." The mother of three spoke Wednesday on Capitol Hill in support of legislation that aims to expand and improve early education programs. Garner, who starred in the ABC series "Alias," said she supports early education to help level the playing field for all children. "My kids have everything they need," she said, "so what I give my heart to — besides parenting my own kids — is early childhood education for kids all across America, especially for those growing up with less." The Strong Start for America's Children Act has the goal of expanding and improving early education programs for kids up to age 5. It seeks to accelerate the growth of state-funded prekindergarten and improve the quality of infant- and toddler-care programs.
