King Charles 'really upset' the late Queen with criticism of her parenting skills

In the later years of his life, it’s clear that King Charles and his mother, the late Queen, had a strong bond – something that was often showcased in the then-Prince’s speeches, where he referenced Her Majesty as his “darling Mama” or “beloved mother”.

During his childhood, however, their relationship was very different and Charles had a stronger bond with his nannies, as well as his grandmother, the Queen Mother.

© Getty

In the latest episode of A Right Royal Podcast, which centres on King Charles’ upbringing and that of his sons, Prince Harry and Prince William, host Emmy Griffiths and HELLO!’s royal editor Emily Nash talk to Majesty magazine’s Editor-in-Chief and royal author Ingrid Seward about her new book, My Mother and I, which delves into the relationship between the late monarch and her son.

Back in 1994, Prince Charles authorised a biography on himself by journalist Jonathan Dimbleby and in it the late Queen and Prince Philip were described as “emotionally distant” parents.

Friends who spoke with Charles’ permission also spoke of the Duke of Edinburgh’s often  “belittling” and even “bullying” his son.

© Getty

In the latest episode, Ingrid details how that book “really upset” the late Queen and Prince Philip.

“When that book came out, I think that the Queen and Prince were on a tour of Russia, which is really an important tour. And they were very upset. They were very upset about the way Charles described their parenting,” she says in the episode which you can listen to below.

Defending her stance as a parent, Ingrid added: “It was distant. I mean, even people that were onside with the Queen and Prince Philip said that they never hugged their children in public. And it was very distant, because the Queen was not bought up to be an emotional person. I mean, inside I'm sure she was very emotional, but she never showed it. And that's how she was brought up. I think it would have been almost impossible for her to change. I think as she became in her dotage, you could see that she was more emotional, but I think certainly, as a young woman, she tucked it all away.”

Also in the episode, Emmy and Emily react to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s new website and what royal fans can expect from it from now on.