Charles' 69th birthday-A mini biography

Started by TLLK, November 14, 2017, 02:08:00 PM

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sandy

#1
Lots of spin. Not mentioning Charles' involvement with Camilla before he married Diana.  It was not as simple as "both having affairs." Charles told Dimbleby he preferred the other woman when he married Diana. The incompatibility was about Diana not accepting Camilla.

It also leaves out Charles' serious relationships with other women including Davina Sheffield.

Lots of gaps and lots of spin.

TLLK

I truly believe that because it is his birthday that the writer wanted to present a brief biography of the man's entire life and not one that was heavily focused upon his personal life. There are plenty of pieces that have been written about his first and second marriages.

Curryong

I hope Charles had a happy birthday today. He and Camilla might be up in Scotland at Birkhall for a little while, relaxing a bit after the tour. His father looked very frail at the Cenotaph ceremony but I expect all the family will gather for the all-important 70th wedding anniversary celebrations. I actually thought that the Queen has looked in excellent spirits and even better health than she has for some time over that weekend.

sandy

I am wondering if Junor will contribute a new biography of Charles next year.

Curryong

^ She might wait until his eightieth birthday. The Queen could still be reigning till then.


Curryong

I know this is from the Fail, but there are some quite interesting little nuggets on Charles's early childhood and Philip's attitude to him, brought out in the article which has little extracts from Ingrid Seward's latest book.
Philip really was appallingly insensitive and too fond of teasing and it's probably just as well there was nursery staff around.

What Philip exclaimed to Queen after Charles was born | Daily Mail Online

Duch_Luver_4ever

couldnt help but notice there was a big span of time danced around on that list...oh lets say 1981 to 1997 maybe LOL

54. Though known as an animal-lover, he dislikes cats.

Yet another reason to dislike him  :lol:
"No other member of the Royal Family mattered that year, or I think for the next 17 years, it was just her." Arthur Edwards, The Sun Photographer, talking about Diana's impact.

Curryong

It's amazing how many of the BRF are dog persons and don't own a cat. Princess Michael is the only one I know who seems to like cats. Maybe it's just the country lifestyle and pursuits they follow which a dog fits into better. The Cambridges have Lupo of course, and even Harry's girlfriend Meghan has two dogs, Guy and Bogart, from a rescue shelter, so the situation's unlikely to improve.

A cat of ours, dead now, had the most beautiful temperament of any animal I've ever known. Placid, gentle though an excellent mouser (we lived in a rural area) and very affectionate. Even so, I'm afraid I'm more a dog than a cat person. Sorry!

TLLK

QuoteIt's amazing how many of the BRF are dog persons and don't own a cat. Princess Michael is the only one I know who seems to like cats.
Yes it is amazing how few of them like cats. Perhaps they have adopted the country attitude that cats are working animals who should earn their keep.

royalanthropologist

#11
I just can't get over the appalling parenting skills on both sides. I mean the kids were "very polite" because they did not really know their parents. I would be ashamed if such a thing happened to me.

The guys that noted the gaps were spot on but that was an unpleasant time for Charles and I am sure his friends do not like to remind him of it. He certainly does a very good job of "forgetting" it. Most biographies are likely to skip over the period from 1985-1996. Maybe just say he married and divorced.

Indeed for many of the photos celebrating his life or in the home, Diana tends not to make much of an appearance. I remember at the Jubilee there was just one fleeting image, understandable perhaps when you consider how it all ended.
"In the past, people were born royal. Nowadays, royalty comes from what you do"...Gianni Versace

sandy

I don't think biographies could sell if there are "gaps." If he did not have the first marriage, there would be no William and Harry. It would be a big empty space. The first wife was the mother of his only children. For instance,  Ronald Reagan had a much briefer marriage to his first wife but Jane Wyman will always be part of his life history no matter what, she was the mother of his two oldest children.

Why would he 'forget' the marriage that produced the children?

Diana surely is not "forgettable" to William and Harry.

I disagree that "most" biographies will skip over the period. That IMO would be like censorship and would make Charles look very petty if it is "his" idea.

How is it known what Charles forgets or remembers?

I think some royals must own cats. There are many royals around cousins and so forth.

TLLK

#13
QuoteThe guys that noted the gaps were spot on but that was an unpleasant time for Charles and I am sure his friends do not like to remind him of it. He certainly does a very good job of "forgetting" it. Most biographies are likely to skip over the period from 1985-1996. Maybe just say he married and divorced.

I agree that the shorter biographies ie: website bios do keep that period in time limited to their engagement, wedding, birth of their sons, and then wrap it up with the separation, divorce and her death. This is the information on their marriage from the official Prince of Wales website.  Biography
QuoteOn 29th July 1981, The Prince of Wales married Lady Diana Spencer in St Paul's Cathedral who became HRH The Princess of Wales.

The Princess was born on 1st July 1961, at Park House on The Queen's estate at Sandringham, Norfolk. She lived there until the death in 1975 of her grandfather, the 7th Earl, when the family moved to the Spencer family seat at Althorp House in Northamptonshire.

Lady Diana's father, then Viscount Althorp and later the eighth Earl Spencer, had been an equerry to both George VI and The Queen. Her maternal grandmother, Ruth, Lady Fermoy, was a close friend and lady in waiting to The Queen Mother.

The Prince and Princess of Wales had two sons: Prince William, born on 21st June 1982; and Prince Harry, born on 15th September 1984.

From the time of their marriage, The Prince and Princess of Wales went on overseas tours and carried out many engagements together in the UK.

On 9th December 1992, The Prime Minister, John Major, announced to the House of Commons that The Prince and Princess of Wales had agreed to separate.

The marriage was dissolved on 28th August, 1996. The Princess was still regarded as a member of the Royal Family. She continued to live at Kensington Palace and to carry out her public work for a number of charities.

When The Princess was killed in a car crash in Paris on 31st August 1997, The Prince of Wales flew to Paris with her two sisters to bring her body back to London. The Princess lay in the Chapel Royal at St James's Palace until the night before the funeral.

On the day of the funeral, The Prince of Wales accompanied his two sons, aged 15 and 12 at the time, as they walked behind the coffin from The Mall to Westminster Abbey. With them were The Duke of Edinburgh and The Princess's brother, Earl Spencer.

The lengthy biographical books however do go into more depth regarding their marriage and divorce. :)

The late Diana, Princess of Wales does have her own biography on the British Royal Family Website. Diana, Princess of Wales | The Royal Family

Double post auto-merged: November 20, 2017, 06:16:59 PM


Diana's royal family website biography is IMVHO a  complimentary and is generous in praising her during her tenure as Princess of Wales. There is no mention of her affairs and only mentions that she gave a televised interview in 1995.

royalanthropologist

A birthday is a time of joy and celebrating. I totally understand why Charles would not want to be reminded of the mess that was his first marriage. Sensitive biographers who wish to remain in good terms with their subject would not cause offense for gratuitous reasons. 

In this case a lengthy review of Charles' first marriage is totally unwarranted since it is a brief biography of Charles at 69. We all like to forget bad things and Charles is no exception.

Kudos to the BRF for putting up a tasteful and decent summary of Diana's life with them. No need to go over affairs and other rubbish that happened during that period.

BTW @sandy I don't think Charles has ever mentioned Diana even once in public since 1992 when he did his biography. That is what I base my comment on about forgetting. Quite clearly he does not like to be reminded of that period of his life and I doubt any of his friends will be mentioning it to him. 

Children or no children; Diana ceased to be part of his life in 1996. W&H quite rightly have fond memories of their mother; but that is an entirely different matter from an ex that has since remarried.
"In the past, people were born royal. Nowadays, royalty comes from what you do"...Gianni Versace

sandy

The "mess" created the only children of Prince Charles. If the "mess" had not occurred, there would be no Will or Harry. Harry and Will could find it offensive that the marriage that created them is called a "mess." I think Charles' love life was very messy to say the least. Of course they want to remain on good terms with Charles especially the sycophantic writers who want to be rewarded.

Charles biography was in 1994. Not 1992. Are you talking about Dimbleby. Diana was mentioned in the book quite a few times also.

Diana would always have been a part of his life as co-parent to the two children and they appeared together at events concerning the children and both were involved in decisions involving them.  So you think he would have exiled Diana and not let her near the boys.  No chance of that! They were seen as a group together during the year after the divorce.

royalanthropologist

Well they are definitely not co-parents today. All that ended in 1996 (over twenty years ago btw).  I see no practical need for a birthday summary biography to start mulling over that mess of a marriage  and yes it was most definitely a mess. That was an unhappy time and the less said about it to Charles, the happier he is in my view. Far better to make a brief mention of the marriage and divorce before moving on to happier times. Clearly this particular biographer agrees with me.
"In the past, people were born royal. Nowadays, royalty comes from what you do"...Gianni Versace

sandy

#17
Well she of course died in 1997. No it ended in 1997, during that year she was seen with Charles and the boys at an event involving William.

I would not call a marriage that produces two children a "mess." The children for one might find it offensive it's like saying it was better if they were never born.

How is it known what not to say or to say to Charles.  I would say he likes to be flattered a lot.

Charles must be a bitter man if he is "unhappy" over people talking about his first marriage. Maybe he needs counseling of some kind if this is true.

At William's Confirmation in 1997.

https://www.google.com/search?q=diana+and+charles+at+william%27s+confirmation&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiV44G78c3XAhUC6yYKHYkUDu0QsAQILA&biw=1280&bih=912#imgrc=ohlbd1kC8qdTyM:


royalanthropologist

Charles is happy and celebrating his 69th birthday. He does not any any counselling to do that and definitely does not need to be reminded of the mess of his first marriage.

Those confirmation pictures are very nice but they do not make Diana a co-parent today. Neither are they particularly relevant to Charles' celebration of his birthday. Only a petty and vindictive biography would want to go over the nasty details of that marriage and divorce.

A polite and brief acknowledgement that Charles was once married to Diana is sufficient. No need to aggravate and annoy your subject for no reason than to rope in someone who is no longer part of his life.
"In the past, people were born royal. Nowadays, royalty comes from what you do"...Gianni Versace

sandy

I think it just possible that Charles himself would not consider a marriage that brought him two children a "mess." I think that is rather harsh.

How can Diana be a co-parent today? She's deceased. She was a co-parent after the divorce.

well then Junor's biographies must be petty and vindictive since they go over the C and D marriage and divorce.

Why is that "sufficient." Shouldn't the children of the marriage be mentioned. How do you know what annoys Charles?

TLLK

#20
QuoteKudos to the BRF for putting up a tasteful and decent summary of Diana's life with them. No need to go over affairs and other rubbish that happened during that period.

Yes. There is no reason to bring up the unpleasantness that led to the end of their marriage. Diana deserves to be recognized by the BRF for her many contributions during her tenure as Princess of Wales. There are plenty of other biographies that can detail the other aspects of her life.

QuoteWhy is that "sufficient." Shouldn't the children of the marriage be mentioned. How do you know what annoys Charles?

The original mini biography that I shared certainly mentions William and Harry. I have yet to read a biography of Charles that doesn't include them.  :unsure:
QuoteFollowing the wedding, Charles and Diana made Kensington Palace their new home, but they also had a home in Highgrove. Not too long after the wedding, the world would find out Diana was pregnant with the couple?s first child, a boy they would name William. Soon to follow was a red-headed child that was playfully named Harry


sandy

I was just refuting the calling of the marriage a "mess". Judging from your quote, the couple WERE blessed with two children.

TLLK

^^^Well I'd say that "mess" perfectly describes the state of the Wales' marriage especially at the end :shrug: However I do agree that the couple were blessed with the arrival of William and later Harry. :)

royalanthropologist

#23
Correct. Few other words can accurately describe that marriage and its end other than "mess".

The children have never been in dispute as Charles never regretted, divorced or rejected them. They are the only joy he got from that marriage and in hindsight the only retrospective justification for that marriage.

This was a biographical summary of Charles for his birthday. No need to include negative stuff.
"In the past, people were born royal. Nowadays, royalty comes from what you do"...Gianni Versace

sandy

There are photos of them together with plenty of PDA early in the marriage. So it was not all "miserable". The entire time. Both looked very happy on that Caribbean trip when she was pregnant with William (and they did not know they were being photographed). Maybe they just needed a honeymoon trip to the Caribbean to begin with.

Divorces are not exactly  happy occasions. So negative stuff was there.