Skipper

I wish I could illustrate this post with a picture of the heir to the throne scratching his head, face bemused, in that slightly dotty upperclass way he has. But what I think we see is another revenge drama being palyed out against him. Mark Bolland, was a hugely trusted aide who apparently was largely responsible for rehabilitating Camilla Parker- Bowles and setting up the marriage. Then he was fired and no honour dished out. Sensitive souls were damaged. [Wonder why Camilla was not able to intervene with Charles to ensure justice was done to her favourite?] So he was the natural person for the Mail on Sunday to invite to prove the leaked diaries could be published because it was ín the national interest´- that hoary old Fleet St cliche- to do so. Bolland, has now properly kippered his former boss with his evidence in support of the rightwing tabloid.

Those revelations are that: his office is ´chaotic´; letters are routinely circulated to all staff; some letters are politically explosive and Charles has to be persuaded to tone them down or not send them; Charles sees himself as a ´dissident´working against the consensus of the day, presumably seeing himself working in the national interest; and Charles sends many ´spider´letters written in his own hand, to ministers on a whole range of matters.

So what? Why should he not? Probably little will come of any of his half arsed initiatives but The Times made a good point when it pointed out that Charles´s personal boycott of the visiting Chinese delegation some time back might have been interpreted by the orientals as an official snub and the national interest thereby adversely affected. Prince Charles has no real business deciding such policy issues, even if, on this issue, he might have been expressing the national mood. His job is to be a constitutional monarch in waiting. Like the Queen, he should keep mles away from political controversey unless it´s a non political topic like architecture or mutton or recalcitrant youngsters. Good works, yes, political opinions, no thanks.

It does cause one to reflect however, that if we have a monarch, middle-aged and impatient to do something significant with his life, we should not be too surprised if he occasionally slips his shackles and speaks his undiplomatic mind. If we want to avoid such eventualities, we could always abolish he monarchy- now there´s an idea...