Tabloid Fodder

This Sunday in Speakers Corner I made note of the cover article in this week's 'Globe' newspaper titled "Charles Dumps Camilla! As William says: 'She's wrecked our family'" and asked if anyone else had seen the article in the Globe or in any other papers. It is quite a strange one and quite the opposite of the one that was run in August in 'The Spectator'. If you will recall 'The Spectator' ran an article written by Peter Oborne titled "The next royal wedding" claiming a 'royal observer' told him that HM the Queen has 'grudgingly' agreed to a marriage between Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles. I didn't believe. I'm not sure if I believe this one either.

For one thing, I do wish it were true that Charles was giving up Camilla because I don't believe they will be happy together. Once they get married the entire dynamic of the relationship changes. Once married Camilla is no longer his mistress of nearly 30 years, she is his wife. They won't be the King and his mistress as her great-grandmother and his great-great grandfather were. He won't have to defend her. She won't have to live in secret. They'll be no more fear of security guards or domestic servants spilling the beans on their forbidden trysts. It just turns into a man and his wife. Another thing I can't see her doing is accompanying him on his 'official' duties as the spouses of monarchs do - even politicians' wives do. Cherie Blair and and Hillary Clinton, for example, are as well-known as their spouses to the general public.

What could be the reason to generate such a story? Could it be that people sense Prince Charles grows ever more confident in his role as Prince of Wales and therefore doesn't need anyone around to tell him his misunderstood? Could it be that people sense Charles is outgrowing adolescence along with his sons and now realizes that maybe Mummy and Daddy weren't just acting like tyrants? Maybe his parents' points have some validity to him now and are not seen merely a criticism? That remains to be seen, however, confidence breeds independence or more healthily, interdependence which is so far off codependence that it's noticeable and obviously noteworthy.

According to the unnamed source in this article, Charles is sick of Camilla demanding they marry, sick of feuding with his father and other family members over this divisive relationship and acting of the advise the wishes of his sons, Prince William and Prince Harry has decided to give her up. Of course the source also quotes Prince William as coaxing his father with a line that ends with Daddy. In all the footage I've ever seen them in, Charles' sons call him Papa. Maybe the author was just Americanizing it for us?

Another quoted source in the article is royal author, Nicholas Davies, whose new book "William: The Rebel Prince" claims that neither boy were happy with Charles' relationship with Camilla because they felt it took away time that their father could be spending with them. This was one of my biggest gripes during his separation from Diana Princess of Wales, that he preferred to stay at Highgrove near Camilla rather then at St. James nearer to Kensington Palace where his sons were. The writer also indicates that William chose to go to school in Scotland because, as he quotes form Nicholas Davies book, "this way he doesn't have to spend much time with Camilla". It also claims that William will never forgive Camilla for breaking his mother's, the late Diana Princess of Wales, heart. It further states that one of Diana's pals is claiming comeuppance. "What goes around comes around. Camilla getting a broken heart is justice." 

The second piece of the two page spread rehashes the allegations that Charles used to go to Camilla's place so near his own in the middle of the night and sneak back to Highgrove before Diana awoke. That Camilla enjoyed her role as the royal mistress and reminded us of the reported 'blackouts' - what the neighbors called Charles' visits as all the windows were closed, the blinds and curtains drawn and lights were basically out. Another claim I'd remembered reading some time ago is that Charles would spend no more 15,000 pounds on any jewelry items because he believed that anything over that amount would draw unwelcome attention. Oh yes, all the old reports were cleverly rolled into one article.

Interestingly enough the article also points to the fact that they haven't been seen out much lately. I can't remember a time when they were seen out much together. The last report I recall was the osteoporosis fundraiser in which Camilla and Charles shared their first public kiss. The article ends by stating that Charles wants to rebuild his rapport with the people and realizes his relationship divides public opinion as well as his families.

What do you make of this report? Do you remember the old rumors? Which did you believe? What do you think the odds are of Charles and Camilla breaking up? Looking forward to hearing your take on this report.

All the best,