Jayson’s Reviews > Prince Charles: The Passions and Paradoxes of an Improbable Life > Status Update

Jayson
is on page 161 of 624

Notes:
(1) Diana was obsessed with Camilla, which inflamed her already erratic behavior, which drove Charles to Camilla all the more.
- Obviously Charles did wrong, but perhaps things would have been different if Diana wasn't so paranoid.
(2) Diana threw herself down the stairs while pregnant, crying for attention. I don't care how Charles behaved, that's plainly not right.
— Jul 01, 2021 12:15AM

Notes:
(1) Diana was obsessed with Camilla, which inflamed her already erratic behavior, which drove Charles to Camilla all the more.
- Obviously Charles did wrong, but perhaps things would have been different if Diana wasn't so paranoid.
(2) Diana threw herself down the stairs while pregnant, crying for attention. I don't care how Charles behaved, that's plainly not right.
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Jayson’s Previous Updates

Jayson
is on page 495 of 624

Notes:
(1) Following retirement from the military, William and Kate moved into Kensington Palace apartment 1A, which features four stories, twenty rooms and a private garden.
- My first apartment was a one bedroom with a window view of a brick wall.
(2) In 2012 Harry was photographed naked at a party in Las Vegas.
- First rule of naked Vegas party: check phones at the door!
— Aug 23, 2021 04:30AM

Notes:
(1) Following retirement from the military, William and Kate moved into Kensington Palace apartment 1A, which features four stories, twenty rooms and a private garden.
- My first apartment was a one bedroom with a window view of a brick wall.
(2) In 2012 Harry was photographed naked at a party in Las Vegas.
- First rule of naked Vegas party: check phones at the door!

Jayson
is on page 439 of 624

Notes:
(1) Charles recycles his bathwater to water his garden.
- I'm more surprised that he takes baths.
(2) William's 21st birthday was fancy dress.
- It was notable for a gate-crasher dressed as Osama bin Laden, also as the first royal event attended by Kate Middleton.
(3) Harry's Nazi costume sparked international government condemnation.
- Seems overkill for kid idiocy.
— Aug 22, 2021 04:30AM

Notes:
(1) Charles recycles his bathwater to water his garden.
- I'm more surprised that he takes baths.
(2) William's 21st birthday was fancy dress.
- It was notable for a gate-crasher dressed as Osama bin Laden, also as the first royal event attended by Kate Middleton.
(3) Harry's Nazi costume sparked international government condemnation.
- Seems overkill for kid idiocy.

Jayson
is on page 359 of 624

Notes:
(1) "Stephen Fry['s] ubiquity at such functions put him perilously close to court jester status."
- From what I know of Stephen Fry, I'm sure he'd take court jester as an honor.
(2) Camilla was so unpopular that there were plans to elevate Princess Anne to "Royal Partner," to perform consort duties instead.
- Reminds me of when Chelsea Clinton was briefly First Lady.
— Aug 19, 2021 04:50AM

Notes:
(1) "Stephen Fry['s] ubiquity at such functions put him perilously close to court jester status."
- From what I know of Stephen Fry, I'm sure he'd take court jester as an honor.
(2) Camilla was so unpopular that there were plans to elevate Princess Anne to "Royal Partner," to perform consort duties instead.
- Reminds me of when Chelsea Clinton was briefly First Lady.

Jayson
is on page 329 of 624

Notes:
(1) The portion of the book dealing with Diana's death is both the most moving part of the book and the least interesting.
- I know it all already.
(2) In my opinion, the British public never really accepted the divorce. There wasn't enough time. As such, to the public, they always will be married and, no matter how official, Camilla will always be "the other woman."
— Aug 18, 2021 04:00AM

Notes:
(1) The portion of the book dealing with Diana's death is both the most moving part of the book and the least interesting.
- I know it all already.
(2) In my opinion, the British public never really accepted the divorce. There wasn't enough time. As such, to the public, they always will be married and, no matter how official, Camilla will always be "the other woman."

Jayson
is on page 317 of 624

Notes:
(1) Following a long royal tradition of hiring "men of indeterminate sexuality," Charles hired PR wunderkind Mark Bolland.
- William and Harry nicknamed him Lord Blackadder.
(2) Diana fell in love with a Pakistani heart surgeon. He dumped her for being "needy and suffocating."
- Eg. she would be furious with him for declining her phone calls while performing surgery.
— Aug 17, 2021 04:00AM

Notes:
(1) Following a long royal tradition of hiring "men of indeterminate sexuality," Charles hired PR wunderkind Mark Bolland.
- William and Harry nicknamed him Lord Blackadder.
(2) Diana fell in love with a Pakistani heart surgeon. He dumped her for being "needy and suffocating."
- Eg. she would be furious with him for declining her phone calls while performing surgery.

Jayson
is on page 303 of 624

Notes:
(1) To secure the infamous 1995 Panorama interview, Martin Bashir used fake financial documents to convince Diana that her staff was spying on her.
- This deceit was only uncovered this year.
(2) As intended, the interview permanently burnt bridges with the royals.
- As a direct result, the Queen demanded Charles and Diana divorce. She could no longer be queen-to-be.
— Aug 16, 2021 04:00AM

Notes:
(1) To secure the infamous 1995 Panorama interview, Martin Bashir used fake financial documents to convince Diana that her staff was spying on her.
- This deceit was only uncovered this year.
(2) As intended, the interview permanently burnt bridges with the royals.
- As a direct result, the Queen demanded Charles and Diana divorce. She could no longer be queen-to-be.

Jayson
is on page 283 of 624

Notes:
(1) Though there was little doubt that Diana would be "the fun parent," she made extra effort to have her fun in public, so that Charles would by contrast look uninvolved in raising his sons.
(2) When Buckingham Palace opened to the public, the Queen put Charles in charge.
- He bemoaned selling cheap items in the gift shop. Though, what exactly is "cheap" to Charles?
— Aug 12, 2021 04:20AM

Notes:
(1) Though there was little doubt that Diana would be "the fun parent," she made extra effort to have her fun in public, so that Charles would by contrast look uninvolved in raising his sons.
(2) When Buckingham Palace opened to the public, the Queen put Charles in charge.
- He bemoaned selling cheap items in the gift shop. Though, what exactly is "cheap" to Charles?

Jayson
is on page 271 of 624

Notes:
(1) Best chapter of the book so far covers 1991-1992, from Diana's press offensive against Charles, to the Morton biography, to the separation.
- I sort of wish the entire book was the scandalous parts, but then, it wouldn't be a comprehensive biography.
(2) In 1992, there was still hope, despite the separation, that Diana would be crowned Queen.
- How very medieval.
— Aug 11, 2021 04:00AM

Notes:
(1) Best chapter of the book so far covers 1991-1992, from Diana's press offensive against Charles, to the Morton biography, to the separation.
- I sort of wish the entire book was the scandalous parts, but then, it wouldn't be a comprehensive biography.
(2) In 1992, there was still hope, despite the separation, that Diana would be crowned Queen.
- How very medieval.

Jayson
is on page 251 of 624

Notes:
(1) Diana's nickname for Camilla was "Rottweiler."
- I can't tell whether that was a reference to her appearance or her temperament.
(2) Charles kept his affair monogamous and out of public view. Conversely, Diana carried on several affairs simultaneously, and in full view of Kensington Palace staff and her children.
- So very different. Little wonder it didn't work.
— Aug 09, 2021 04:00AM

Notes:
(1) Diana's nickname for Camilla was "Rottweiler."
- I can't tell whether that was a reference to her appearance or her temperament.
(2) Charles kept his affair monogamous and out of public view. Conversely, Diana carried on several affairs simultaneously, and in full view of Kensington Palace staff and her children.
- So very different. Little wonder it didn't work.

Jayson
is on page 241 of 624

Notes:
(1) Dorchester needed to expand. Rather than sell off land to developers, Charles decided to build his own town, Poundbury.
- As Duke of Cornwall, I suppose it's technically his land to decide what do with.
(2) Seems very authoritarian to deny townsfolk a supermarket and cinema for aesthetic reasons.
- Though, to be fair, they did choose to live in Charles' Sim City.
— Aug 08, 2021 04:35AM

Notes:
(1) Dorchester needed to expand. Rather than sell off land to developers, Charles decided to build his own town, Poundbury.
- As Duke of Cornwall, I suppose it's technically his land to decide what do with.
(2) Seems very authoritarian to deny townsfolk a supermarket and cinema for aesthetic reasons.
- Though, to be fair, they did choose to live in Charles' Sim City.
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Rebecca
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Jul 01, 2021 12:31AM

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I can certainly see that being a part of it. From what I've been reading, though not as extreme, her behavior had been quite erratic before her pregnancy, even involving self-harm. But my guess would be that complications with pregnancy inflamed psychological conditions already present.


Yes, I agree. Neither of them were saints, both of them had affairs, both of them acted poorly, albeit for different reasons. Diana got married just after her 20th birthday, and was for all intents and purposes still of a teenage mindset. Charles was in his thirties, but acted much older, and because of tradition ended up married to a kind of a spoiled and moody teenager. That's a recipe for disaster.