Community Chat

[Sapphiregal]

I really don't think much of British royalty per se. They really serve no purpose. Having said that now, I will add that my opinion of Queen Elizabeth as just a person, is that she was a very kind, good, decent person. Good wife and mother and grandmother.

Those are the things she should be remembered for - not for being Queen.

[beach-mom]

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@Nonametoday wrote:

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I had read once that Charles said the only problem with Andrew was that he wanted to be Charles:  In that, he mentioned a courtship with Camilla before Charles met her (I think that is what it was) and that perhaps they had had a rift because Charles won her over.  Yes, I can see Fergie and Diana plotting and scheming like that.  They were very young and unable to handle their lives as they were laid out for them.  I thought it sad that Charles did not marry Camilla in the first place, leave Diana out of this sordid affair.  However, c'est la vie and "it is what it is."  I like Angela Levin.  I think she is a responsible author.

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@Nonametoday - When they met Charles was 22 and Camilla 24. Andrew would have been 11!  Camilla's husband, who was Anne's boyfriend at the time, is Andrew too. It IS confusing, and it IS a soap opera!  

 I agree that Andrew probably wanted to be Charles. Andrew was the fun one.  

[beach-mom]

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@Kachina624 wrote:

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@ECBG wrote:

@Kachina624 

I loved Diana and will never accept Camilla for what she did.  She destroyed a marriage; in no book is that acceptable.

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@ECBG    I can't really say what I think of Camilla here but you've got to admit she came out smelling like a rose.  She must be the success story of the year.

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ITA. I'm not a Camilla fan. I read a lot more, other than what I posted (two excerpts from the book). She doesn't come out smelling like a rose at all. And this biography of her is a flattering one!

And just wait until Harry's book comes out. When respected royal watchers say there are unflattering statements about Camilla, unless Harry has magic up his sleeve and can change things, Charles will not be happy. 

I read Harry suggested a mediator to help with the situation. It is said Camilla spit out her tea! 

I think Charles tried to love Diana, but he couldn't fall in love with her when he was in love with someone else.  Diana knew about the affair right before she was married and thought about backing out. But she told her sister something like what could she do - the flowers were ordered. 

[Nonametoday]

@beach-mom 

I think they all have feet of clay, including Charles, Diana, Fergie, Andrew, Harry & Meghan, but I think if the monarchy is to be saved, it will be left to Edward, Sophie, Kate, William and the Phillips family.

[Sooner]

Charles and Camilla were separated by his uncle Mountbatten and others (including the Queen Mother and her close friend Lady Fermoy who was either working for the Queen or on staff at the time and was a friend of the Queen's).  

Camilla was seen as not an appropriate match because of her past affairs.  I believe Anne at one time was involved with Camilla's boyfriend also (I don't think they were married at the time but maybe).

Charles and Camilla always were in love.  Diana's family knew about it, no doubt she did too.  It was a bad situation all around.  Charles had a hard life growing up and it left its marks on him.  

He is married to a woman that wasn't his choice, she was a manipulator and schemer and no innocent person, but she played the media and turned the world against him; he has no real defined job until he's in his 70's; and on and on.  

He is no saint, but he is besides Prince of Wales and King, a human being and he had a lot stacked against him.  And I think he did his best by his boys.  His younger son just happens to be his mother made over.  Right down to the tv interview.  

There is enough blame to go around, and I don't see any blameless parties in the Charles, Diana, Camilla story either.  

[Zernia Rose]

@Oznell This is not a criticism of you or your comments.  These types of machinations are found throughout histories of monarchy. They are an integral part of English history also.  After all, Henry VIII had no compunctions about having two of his killed. 

[Mz iMac]

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@Kachina624 wrote:

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I can't really say what I think of Camilla here but you've got to admit she came out smelling like a rose.  She must be the success story of the year.

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Success story of the 20th & 21st century!!!!

How many mistressess can claim they snagged & married a prince who becomes a king turning mistress wify into a QUEEN CONSORT?

Ever since King Charles married Queen Consort Camilla, he's had that chessy cat smile face......

 

[Zernia Rose]

@Sooner  In the past, the Sovereign was head of the Church of England and served as a model of propriety. There are some traditions, past laws, and current laws that affected Charles' ability to marry Camilla.    Spouses could not be Catholic.  Nor could they be divorced until the early 2000s. Permission needed for marriage, and so on.  Princess Anne was able to avoid some of these barriers because she married in the Church of England.  There are also laws, e.g. The Marriage Acts, that determine a sovereign's marriage.

[icezeus]

Oh my which author to believe. I am reading The Palace Papers by Tina Brown and she says that Charles was introduced to Camilla by his Cambridge flame Lucia Santa Cruz who was the daughter of the Chilean Ambassador when Charles was 22 and Camilla was 24. 

I am on chapter 2 and just read this about 15 minutes ago. 

This is why although I may enjoy the gossipy nature of these books I take them all with a grain of salt. 

[Tinkrbl44]

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@Sapphiregal wrote:

I really don't think much of British royalty per se. They really serve no purpose. Having said that now, I will add that my opinion of Queen Elizabeth as just a person, is that she was a very kind, good, decent person. Good wife and mother and grandmother.

Those are the things she should be remembered for - not for being Queen.

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@Sapphiregal 

LOL ... ITA, and you and I aren't alone, by any means.