Unflattering comments apparently made by the Duke of Edinburgh about his eldest son, Prince Charles, have once more brought to the fore the strained relationship between the heir to the British throne and his father.
Speaking to Graham Turner, the author of a new 10,000-word biography on Prince Philip, members of his inner circle revealed that the Duke believes his son is too “precious, extravagant and lacking in the dedication … to make a good king”.
The revelations were made in a semi-authorised article published in a British broadsheet earlier this week. The Duke was not quoted directly in the article, but the level of access given to senior courtiers close to him is believed to be unique.
Relations between the two men have been cool since the publication of Charles’ biography six years ago in which he complained about both his parents.
Although he is refusing to let his office be drawn into the controversy, the Prince of Wales is said to be “upset” and “dismayed” by his father’s comments.
In recent years royal aides have been keen to insist that all was well between father and son. And the situation had improved to the extent that the Prince of Wales had been prepared to write a warm tribute to his father to mark his eightieth birthday celebrations next month. Plans for the article are now understood to have been put on hold.
Turner quotes an aide as saying: “Prince Charles is quite frightened of his father, who dominates the family by being bullying and loud. Charles deals with it by disengaging. That is why he doesn’t play a bigger role in family affairs. His father often doesn’t let him get a look in. But Charles is sensitive, far too sensitive.”
The Prince of Wales’ own book, written in collaboration with Jonathan Dimbleby, commented upon the severity of his upbringing and implied that Philip was responsible for pressurising him into marriage with Diana. Father and son have also clashed over environmental issues, with Charles supporting the campaign against genetically modified food, a development which Prince Philip sees as a viable means of tackling the problems of world hunger.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
