All families have their issues, even if they are famous. This is further complicated when one’s family also works together like the British royal family does. A recent article in The Times by Libby Purves makes the claim that Prince Charles might be the biggest threat to the monarchy. She believes the Prince of Wales is an even greater threat than his brother Prince Andrew or son Prince Harry.
Purves states, “If there are any real difficulties in the dynasty, then they are with the heir, Prince Charles.” To understand her claims, one must examine Prince Charles’ many faults and missteps over the years, Prince Harry’s upcoming book, and Prince Andrew’s fall from grace.
The most well-known Prince Charles controversy is his behavior when he was married to the beloved Princess Diana. Prince Charles had an affair with Camilla Parker Bowles, to whom he is now married. Many have not forgiven him for this.
Another controversial move by Prince Charles was marrying Camilla, now known as the Duchess of Cornwall. The couple tied the knot in 2005 in a simple, private civil ceremony. Queen Elizabeth did not attend the ceremony but did attend the reception.
Prince Charles has made questionable investments over the years. In 2017, one company that he invested in lobbied in favor of changing climate change agreements. Prince Charles has publicly spoken out about taking care of the environment, but his private investments do not always live up to his words.
Another misstep made by Prince Charles was the "black spider memos." These were released in 2015. They were made up of 27 memos that Prince Charles sent to then Prime Minister Tony Blair in 2004 and 2005 about various policy changes he wished to see. The changes included bad science and military policies.
Paul Flynn, a member of Parliament, explained to The Guardian why this was exceptional: “They show he is putting forward a whole variety of views — including many bad science views and others that should have no more weight than the man down the pub. We can see his views were given a seriousness and priority they did not deserve."
A more recent scandal involved one of Prince Charles’ top advisers, Michael Fawcett. Michael served as the chairman of The Prince Foundation. In 2021 he was accused of bribing a Saudi billionaire by offering up a knighthood and UK citizenship in exchange for a sizable donation to the foundation. The investigation for this "cash for honors" scandal is still ongoing.
For the reasons listed here and more, Prince Charles is a polarizing figure to the public. He is not always well received or even liked. Many wish he would renounce his claim to the throne and instead allow Prince William to take over. Some think Prince William is better suited to lead the monarchy into a more modern role.
Prince Harry’s memoir is set to be released at the end of 2022 by Penguin Random House. It will definitely cause a bit of a circus, but Purves believes that will quickly fade. She thinks that many people are growing tired of the Sussexes and believe they are trying to play both sides: royal and commoner.
Prince Andrew has also caused damage to the crown because of accusations of sexual assault and his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. Purves argues he is already fading from public view. He no longer uses “His Royal Highness,” or HRH for short, and he lost all of his military titles.
While no one can predict the future of the monarchy, it seems Queen Elizabeth is standing behind Prince Charles. She recently expressed her "sincere wish" that Camilla be named queen consort when Prince Charles accedes to the throne. Time will tell if Purves' predictions about Prince Charles turn out to be true.
