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King Charles shocking and disloyal book exposing royal secrets and attacking his family

(278 Posts)
GagaJo Sat 07-Jan-23 10:13:28

AKA, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

It’s a story that, for 38 years, people have not been able to get enough of. But the release of SPARE, despite its promise of “raw, unflinching honesty,” has also been met by huge criticism from the same people rushing to click on or write stories about him.

The dramatic pearl clutching would have you believe that this is, to borrow a cliche from the royal reporting dictionary, an unprecedented moment for the House of Windsor. One of the Royal Family’s very own breaking their (questionable) “never complain, never explain” mantra to share private stories that supposedly should have been taken to the grave.

But short-term memory loss will do that to you, because Harry is far from the first senior royal to open up like this. In fact, he only needed to look at the actions of his own father (and mother) for a set example.

Many forget that our current Head of State did exactly the same.

As a man who felt so misunderstood during the breakdown of his marriage and his journey to the throne, Charles turned to BBC journalist Jonathan Dimbleby in 1994 to write a once-in-a-lifetime biography on his life so he could be better understood. Sound familiar?

Just like Harry’s ghostwriter J.R Moehringer, the then Prince of Wales spent countless hours sitting down for interviews with Dimbleby, as well as providing access to his friends and aides, and opening up his private archives of 10,000 private letters, journals and diaries.

The result was a tome that offered a deeply intimate look at Charles like never before. The story of an heir's emotionally repressed childhood, his “detached” and often absent mother who was too “preoccupied” with her career to show warmth, and a capricious, judgmental father who just wanted his son to grow up to be a thicker-skinned, aggressive leader.

Writing about both books, a New York Times critic said at the time that each biography painted pictures of “hapless victims — victims, for all their wealth and glamour, of emotionally deprived childhoods, a voracious press, unfortunate circumstances and duplicitous friends”.

For Charles, the negative response from the British press and public was intense. Accused of ferociously attacking his family and disgracing the monarchy, newspaper polls and opinion pieces declared him unfit to be king and some journalists even suggested he should be stripped of his titles. (Sounds familiar again?).

But there have been no regrets about sharing his story, sources have told me in more recent years. If he didn’t do it then, he would have had to forever deal with the fact that only tabloids, newspapers and unauthorised biographers told his story in their words.

uk.news.yahoo.com/harry-book-stop-pretending-shock-following-charles-footsteps-omid-scobie-115905887.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAD6vgibNPVCxJLtCVixLM2a2XhHQvkS0V_gy4VZol9d-s4ELdm6YLBNHUI4VWh_QUepyBufgLYtl6ikcJiyw7LglwbBLqhJWbAqktjoEdprq5PMx87fqJZor3RnEHP1slXIbCgWe6qXaMXCcaJ68gTpZUhcn4r4CI6KxKWf2ZGgC

(sorry, couldn't shorten url for some reason)

Lucca Sat 07-Jan-23 13:15:02

there will never be anyone like the Queen, that's for sure

True but she is not the only possibility !. Charles could be good maybe who knows, not that he was allowed much time in the job. I certainly won’t be around to see him develop nor William but I’m hoping we vere away from the pastel hats and waving.

Lucca Sat 07-Jan-23 13:16:49

tickingbird

Lucca

True. We have so many threads mostly on h and m and one comes up that doesn’t fit the trend and we get one word, yawn. Very GN

I haven’t seen that post. Posters making things up again, yes. Now that is very GN.

10.15.01 tickingbird.

tickingbird Sat 07-Jan-23 13:17:26

My mistake Volver, I thought it was a reference to my Omid Scobie post.

Lucca Sat 07-Jan-23 13:18:50

Volver !! You’re not allowed to support me😱

tickingbird Sat 07-Jan-23 13:19:08

Apologies to you Lucca. I thought halfpint was referring to my post as it appeared straight after mine. I didn’t understand why it was considered a yawn in someone’s face.

OnwardandUpward Sat 07-Jan-23 13:21:07

And we probably aren't being fair to Charles to compare him to his Mother... I think few share her dedication, strength and conviction. Perhaps her Mother was a huge part of this, and of course Phillip.

Never been a Charles fan, but hopefully he will be good, for the sake of our country.

volver Sat 07-Jan-23 13:24:31

As you have apologised tickingbird, I have no more to say.

volver Sat 07-Jan-23 13:27:06

OnwardandUpward

And we probably aren't being fair to Charles to compare him to his Mother... I think few share her dedication, strength and conviction. Perhaps her Mother was a huge part of this, and of course Phillip.

Never been a Charles fan, but hopefully he will be good, for the sake of our country.

What would "bad" be?

If he's bad, how will that affect the country?

Washerwoman Sat 07-Jan-23 13:36:07

Charles and Diana did an interview and a book each if I recall. I think as someone said with social media plus the drip drip effect of 3 years of statements,Sussex websites, Oprah,Netflix now a book and more interviews it's the protracted nature of these 'revelations'The detailed conversations from private occasions like Philips funeral ,when the Queen was dying etc. Plus the tone deaf complaining about smaller bedrooms not having enough money from his father at a time of great hardship for so many.My adult DCs are his age and are heartily sick of it now and losing sympathy.

NotSpaghetti Sat 07-Jan-23 13:40:26

tickingbird

My mistake Volver, I thought it was a reference to my Omid Scobie post.

So did I!
I also was confused.
grin

Lucca Sat 07-Jan-23 13:44:49

tickingbird

Apologies to you Lucca. I thought halfpint was referring to my post as it appeared straight after mine. I didn’t understand why it was considered a yawn in someone’s face.

That’s ok

Aveline Sat 07-Jan-23 13:50:32

It was me that yawned at the prospect of another RF thread. I'm still yawning.

Norah Sat 07-Jan-23 14:07:46

As KC book didn't really affect anyone, perhaps give same grace to Harry's book? I'd think the worrisome bit is H being candid to Taliban killings.

Perhaps Charles could fly to America, apologise to Harry for Charles wrong doings. Mending has to start somewhere, I'm for parents first.

BlueBelle Sat 07-Jan-23 14:09:12

The queen may be a much loved icon but she was the mother of Charles and obviously didn’t do any better job than most I think her role came before anything and I m sure Charles was a very damaged soul I m glad he’s found Camilla who may have healed a lot and I m glad Harry has found Meghan as she has probably done him good and him her

Having heard direct quotes from Harry’s book as opposed to press thoughts a lot has been very badly and inaccurately interpreted but of course that’s what the press and a lot of the general public want…. rope to hang him with

Smileless2012 Sat 07-Jan-23 14:14:32

I hadn't realised Charles had published a book of his own. That might enable him to understand why Harry's done what he has, not sure about William though.

VioletSky Sat 07-Jan-23 14:15:16

I'm still shocked by the food William and Kate served at their wedding.

Callistemon21 Sat 07-Jan-23 14:21:53

Oh, please don't!!
I'm choking now

😂😂😂

Rosie51 Sat 07-Jan-23 15:04:13

Norah

As KC book didn't really affect anyone, perhaps give same grace to Harry's book? I'd think the worrisome bit is H being candid to Taliban killings.

Perhaps Charles could fly to America, apologise to Harry for Charles wrong doings. Mending has to start somewhere, I'm for parents first.

Thomas Markle apologised for his errors, but Harry and Megan don't seem to want to mend that relationship. Of course Harry never met his father-in-law, not even after the engagement and before the upset over press coverage of his wedding suit fitting, which seems odd seeing how Megan was meeting Harry's family.

Summerlove Sat 07-Jan-23 15:12:09

Lucca

And in fact it’s interesting as I’d forgotten about this aspect.

Without looking into it further, I believe it was Charles who first wrote abs did an interview- years before Diana

Yet…it’s all forgiven as there are new Bad royals now

Ailidh Sat 07-Jan-23 15:13:02

VioletSky

I'm still shocked by the food William and Kate served at their wedding.

Post of the week!

icanhandthemback Sat 07-Jan-23 15:32:13

Rosie51

Norah

As KC book didn't really affect anyone, perhaps give same grace to Harry's book? I'd think the worrisome bit is H being candid to Taliban killings.

Perhaps Charles could fly to America, apologise to Harry for Charles wrong doings. Mending has to start somewhere, I'm for parents first.

Thomas Markle apologised for his errors, but Harry and Megan don't seem to want to mend that relationship. Of course Harry never met his father-in-law, not even after the engagement and before the upset over press coverage of his wedding suit fitting, which seems odd seeing how Megan was meeting Harry's family.

Yes and then mouths off again. Maybe Meghan sees a pattern that we are not completely privy to.

Norah Sat 07-Jan-23 15:53:28

Rosie51

Norah

As KC book didn't really affect anyone, perhaps give same grace to Harry's book? I'd think the worrisome bit is H being candid to Taliban killings.

Perhaps Charles could fly to America, apologise to Harry for Charles wrong doings. Mending has to start somewhere, I'm for parents first.

Thomas Markle apologised for his errors, but Harry and Megan don't seem to want to mend that relationship. Of course Harry never met his father-in-law, not even after the engagement and before the upset over press coverage of his wedding suit fitting, which seems odd seeing how Megan was meeting Harry's family.

OK.

What does that have to do with a sincere apology from King Charles to Harry. I thought we were on about Harry and his book revelations?

henetha Sat 07-Jan-23 15:59:48

Whoever thought that
King Charles is a god, or a saint? Of course he isn't. He has made mistakes. And neither was the Queen perfect. They're human with faults.
But the Queen was nearly perfect in her role, and I think Charles will be good in his role. Neither of them did anything like as destructive as what Harry is now doing . Imho.
Opinions may vary.

Callistemon21 Sat 07-Jan-23 17:38:01

What does that have to do with a sincere apology from King Charles to Harry. I thought we were on about Harry and his book revelations?

Apology for what? 🤔

Parents don't get on, they divorce, it happens - the children continue, in most cases, to have a relationship with their children.

Norah Sat 07-Jan-23 17:44:35

Callistemon21

^What does that have to do with a sincere apology from King Charles to Harry. I thought we were on about Harry and his book revelations?^

Apology for what? 🤔

Parents don't get on, they divorce, it happens - the children continue, in most cases, to have a relationship with their children.

I'd think King Charles has a lot to apologize for, if what I read here is even partially correct. I do know he won't ask my opinion.

I'm a bit confused here: "the children continue, in most cases, to have a relationship with their children." Which children and children are you referencing?