Prince Charles

March 1, 2017
A sympathetic psychological study of the prince who has been working tirelessly all his life to be taken seriously.Having written previously on other members of the modern English dynasty (Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch, 2012, etc.), British biographer Smith provides plenty of astute observations in her biography of the Prince of Wales, who is now 68. His 90-year-old mother, Queen Elizabeth II, is finally slowing down and deputizing some of her tasks to her eldest son, although she has no intention of abdicating. After espousing vociferously and often controversially throughout his life on causes he is passionate about--organic farming and other environmental issues, traditional architecture versus modern, creating opportunity and education for disadvantaged youth, alternative medicine and homeopathy, among many others--Charles seems to be toning down his rhetoric in preparation for the establishment of a more disciplined tone, a la his efficient, well-loved mother. Smith is not the first biographer to depict the young prince as love-starved, lonely, and emotionally vulnerable, although her portrait is enormously touching and supported by wide-ranging interviews and research. Elizabeth's hands-off approach to child-raising, Charles' father's bullying, the hypercriticism of the press, and his position of impotence within the royal succession all colluded in pushing him into a disastrous first marriage with a far-too-young, inexperienced, and emotionally damaged soul, Diana Spencer. In fact, he always loved and needed the one woman who bolstered his confidence, listened to him, and shared his pursuits, the married Camilla Parker-Bowles. Indeed, Smith portrays Camilla in a very generous light and Diana as seriously psychologically impaired. Throughout, the author traces the roots of Charles' many fascinating and beneficial "obsessions"; he was a prescient prince who scorned the playboy label and tried valiantly to do something good with his wealth and connections. A thorough, timely biography of the man likely to become king in the next decade or so.

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March 15, 2017

Born Charles Philip Arthur George in 1948, England's Prince Charles is arguably one of the most recognizable people in the world. If asked about him, many might immediately mention his late first wife, Diana, Princess of Wales, and describe the scandals and tragedy that enveloped them both in the 1990s. Or they would know about his unshakable love for Camilla Parker-Bowles, Duchess of Cornwall, whom he finally married in 2005, and who seems to have brought him happiness. Readers also are familiar with Charles as the heir apparent to the throne, patiently waiting to ascend to king, but whose mother, Queen Elizabeth II, has reigned for more than six decades. In this biography, historian and frequent biographer Smith (Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch) presents a multidimensional portrait of a complex, sensitive, and often visionary man (his ideas about sustainable living were once considered eccentric), who has carved out a dynamic public role as he waits his turn to govern. VERDICT Intimate but not gossipy, this highly accessible and thoroughly researched volume would do well in all collections. [See Prepub Alert, 10/17/16.]--Penelope J.M. Klein, Fayetteville, NY

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Starred review from February 15, 2017
In this comprehensive and admirably fair biography, Smith (Elizabeth the Queen, 2012) observes that many believe that the heir to the British throne, who, after all, has been ready to succeed his revered mother for many years, has lived a life of frustration. Instead, Smith's copious researchincluding extensive interviews with individuals close to Prince Charles or involved in his initiatives in the economic, social, and architectural fieldsfinds that his long days as a king-in-waiting have actually been full of projects that are important to him and which he feels contribute to the good of the country. Yet Charles is also seen as insecure and isolated within the bubble of his privilege. Smith suggests that Charles is poorly understood and seeks to rectify that by explaining Charles' life choices and finding the sources of his insecurities. His father, Prince Philip, took a misguided approach in his attempt to toughen his son; Charles' mother has found it difficult to show love or even indicate approval. Marriage to Lady Diana Spencer was, sadly, a clash of two personalities which brought forward the worst of each. But now the prince has found love and comfort with his second wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. Until his accession to the throne, Smith's portrait will stand as the definitive study.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)