Prince Charles: The Passions and Paradoxes of an Improbable Life Hardcover – Deckle Edge, April 4, 2017

This fascinating and highly readable biography of Prince Charles—now King Charles III—by Sally Bedell Smith is an in-depth look at the man who waited the longest in history to become Britain's king.Long viewed by many as the boring, big-eared man who bizarrely told the world "Whatever 'in love' means" when he was asked if he loved his fiancée, Lady Diana Spencer, Charles is so much more than that. The prince's biggest challenge in his life had been figuring out what to do with it while he waited for what must have seemed an eternity to enter his life's work and become king. That was 73 years to fiddle-faddle.Find out the following intriguing and even somewhat juicy details:• His unhappy childhood trying to fit in and adapt to difficult circumstances, especially the boarding schools he was forced to attend.• Why the prince's advisors—try as they might—could not stop him from speaking out on controversial subjects about which he knew very little, from architecture to organic farming to religious beliefs.• The astonishing way the prince reacted when anyone contradicted him, even when he was wrong.• The many ways he casually and repeatedly violated the British constitution with his patently political public statements and deeds.• Some of the prince's truly eccentric ways of living as a man whose affinities were closer to the 18th century than the 21st century.• All about Diana—the good, the bad, and the tragic.• All about Camilla, the true love of his life—from their illicit affairs to their eventual marriage.• His relationship with his parents, Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh.• His relationship with his sons, Prince William and Prince Harry.• The special relationships he cultivated with Americans, especially Nancy Reagan with whom he said he had "fallen in love."Charles may have spent years doing exactly as he pleased, but that will all change now that he is the king. This biography, which spans from his birth in 1948 to 2017, is a captivating personal look at the man who would become the king of England and how he spent his time, energy, and money before that day happened—from the conventional to the eccentric.Bonus: There are LOTS of fabulous photographs sprinkled throughout the text with many more at the end. They are great even in black and white on a Kindle.

What is most riveting for me is how hard he works on his causes while spinning his wheels. Because he is both spoiled and thin skinned, he cannot stand to have around him anyone who disagrees with him or has an idea different from his own. He surrounds himself with sycophantic courtiers who flatter him and agree with anything he does or says. A characteristic that even a 19 year old Diana recognized. He lives lavishly, finds even first class seats on a commercial BA plane "uncomfortable". Camilla will not accompany him unless they travel by private plane. He takes a mind boggling array of baggage as well as his own chef and organic food even for a weekend at someone's estate which he will not share with any other guest at the dinner. His many interests, most notably Architecture, organic farming, and the environment, he has supported with multiple charities which often overlap. He is constantly raising money for them through the means of promising dinners at Buckingham Palace, or St. James Palace as well as as promising that a wife can sit next to him if the the amount of the donation is high enough. He spends a majority of his time on these charities which are part of the Prince's Trust. While not involved with that, he writes long letters to ministers in whatever government that is in power. Education without the classics is another bee in his bonnet and he writes about that to the minister of education time and time again. According to this author, the charities, over 100 of them, are redundant, poorly managed and waist much of the money given to them through bad management and too much staff. He does not want to hear about that and anyone who tries to tell him bad tidings about such things will be fired or ignored. He is also vulnerable to an aide ratting on an advisor who has served the prince for years, who then gets fired often with no pension or thank you from the prince for his/her loyal service. Early in the book, when discussing the divorce from Diana, one of his aides describes him as not really "marriage material" because of his selfishness, spoiled background, and his intension to do what he pleases when he pleases. That makes him blind to other's needs, emotions or interests. He also needs a lot of time alone and tends to have a depressive state of mind.Camilla is able to navigate this minefield, because she did not have to bear his children or need him to be a father, and she has kept her house so she can spend lots of time at home with her grandchildren and old friends away from his moodiness. He can't stand little children messing up his house so she sees them at her house where she can be her famously messy self. He is just as fastidious about his appearance as he is about his house. He can have his alone time while she has her family time. If he gets too "woe is me", his valet calls Camilla to come over and cheer him up.One objection I have is that he is obviously a man of impeccable manners, kindness when he feels like it and he does love his sons even if sometimes in a rather remote way. That part of his personality is not explored. Her in this book he is a bonafide eccentric who is much less effective than he could be if he ever listened to those who tell him the truth. Unfortunately, he spent too much time with his grandmother who lived very lavishly in an old fashioned way. He is the creature of that upbringing which seems to have given him a way of life that few in the 21st century can relate to. And perhaps that is the reason he is not very popular. In fact I was startled by the description of his life style and his hypocrisy about the environment and other matters he is so passionate about..

This is the second book I have read about Prince Charles, and like the other, I have come to know someone I really admire. Well worth reading.

I really found it fascinating but it has turned me into a staunch republican. I can't stomach the profligate lifestyle and the belief he knows what is best for everyone Not a man I can admire or like.

Not as revealing as I’d hoped. Pretty sad chap really

excellent, highly recommended

Prince Charles is quite a guy, more brilliant and committed than you might imagine. First of all, Sally Bedell Smith's brilliantly written and exhaustively researched biography is something of a classic. She brings a notably guarded and protected person to life. Of course the Diana tragedy is there but there is so much else. Charles' commitments to a multitude of charities, where he actually raised the funds and got things in motion and sustained them is the biggest revelation, though it's a bit much, because the Prince also did a bit much, until he got it under control. I recommend this book as it's interesting based on the subject's life and times, not for the gossip. If you ever wondered how the Royal Family really functions, this is the place to find out.