Changing Perceptions of the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall

[Tyger]

From May 2006

Prince Charles Interview - Part 1 of 2 - YouTube

Prince Charles Interview - Part 2 of 2 - YouTube

 

[Daria_S]

Just to say that the ring mentioned / in the image above is a Russian wedding ring, comprising of three inter-linked bands of yellow, rose and white gold. I believe Sarah, Duchess of York wore/wears one too on her little finger. Interestingly, the Russian Creed was sung at Charles and Camilla's wedding so it seems that Charles takes an interest in the culture of Russia.

Thank you for the background on the piece of jewelry. I learned something about my own heritage that I wasn't aware of. Prince Charles is interested in the Greek/Russian Orthodox Christianity, and that may have been his reason for choosing to have the Orthodox Creed sung at his second wedding, in Church Slavonic too. It was very beautiful.

 

[Nice Nofret]

EIIR: thank you very much for your post - I totally agree with you.

While I didn't care much for Charles as a young man, I feel he matured very well. He is probably the most intellectual person in the royal family - which sets him apart, as the others don't value intellectual achievements, but country life etc.

The greater public has traditionally problems with valuing 'thinkers' - in contrast the others are praise as 'down to earth' easily, just for beeing non intellectuals.

Our modern financial crisis (as probably most of the others worlds crisis's) can be added on the accounts of 'doers' not on the account of thinkers.

Intellectuals are often belittled in our world as 'useless' or kind of personalities to laugh about - which is a great shame in my eyes, because the best solutions are often found when intellectuals and 'hand's on'-people are working together.

(sorry for my poor english - it's not my mothertongue)

 

[XeniaCasaraghi]

Whether you get your hands dirty or give a lot of money or raise a lot of money, charity is charity and I feel it's all good. I don't think any less of the spokesperson for the ASPCA as opposed to the person feeding, handling, and taking care of the animals.

 

[US Royal Watcher]

I appreciate that all members of the royal family support charities and often raise millions of dollars a year. But Charles has not just been involved in fundraising, he has actually been the CEO (Chief Executive Operator) of the Prince's Charities--not just a figurehead. This means that he not only hires staff, but he sets the direction and determines how the charities will spend the money.

One example, is his work through the Prince's Trust, in which he helps young people who have struggled in school or been in trouble with the law. Charles could just raise money to provide scholarships. However, Charles really researched the issue, by reading and talking with business leaders, educational experts, and civil leaders to develop a holistic approach to help young people actually change their lives.

It's not just a scholarships, grants, and loans, he established a mentoring program. These programs, when done well, can be very successful in motivating and helping people build the skills they need to succeed.

According to the website, the Prince's Trust supports 40,000 young people a year. The impact of the Prince's Trust is immeasurable. He hasn't just changed the lives of the people who go through the program, he's changed their families. How many parents are proud of their children now rather than worried because they are unemployed or in jail? How many crimes have been prevented? How many people who would have been on public assistance are instead paying taxes.

And the Prince's Trust is just one of his charities. I know from personal experience that his international charity does not just raise money to feed people--which is important--but, again, he has directed his charity towards training and sustainable economic development so that people have the dignity of feeding themselves.

Prince Charles has had a remarkable impact on the world.

 

[BeatrixFan]

The Prince of Wales is similar to Prince Albert in many ways. Albert's innovations and new ideas didn't get the credit they deserved because of something personal and totally unrelated to his role - his heritage. Charles has had to face the same, he's seen his steps forward overshadowed by personal comment about his family life. That being said, the legacy of the Prince of Wales is all around the country just as Prince Albert's is. Charles' charitable work is well documented but one that really does stand out is the Prince's Trust which is an amazing achievement. Personally I'd be a bit put out if the heir to the throne was going down mines and pretending to be "one of us". He isn't. That's the point. He's had a tricky job of creating a role for the Prince of Wales because let's face, his predecessors were mixed in their success. It was a case of wanting to, rather than being required to. Charles has set the bar for William and William's children, that's not been an easy task and it shouldn't be ignored.

 

[XeniaCasaraghi]

Sorry but comparing Charles to Albert is just downright disturbing.

 

[Artemisia]

Why is it disturbing?
I too think Charles shares a lot of traits with Prince Albert (assuming Prince Albert in Beatrixfan's post is Prince Albert, The Prince Consort).

 

[Osipi]

Why is it disturbing?
I too think Charles shares a lot of traits with Prince Albert (assuming Prince Albert in Beatrixfan's post is Prince Albert, The Prince Consort).

I took BeatrixFan's post to mean Queen Victoria's Albert too. That Albert had a lot of ideas and ways to improve things that he made a reality. Perhaps in the modern royal forums, when one says Albert, it brings up Albert of Monaco who I do think it would be insulting to compare Charles with.

 

[BellaFay]

They were formally introduced in August of 1971 [/QUOTE]

Sorry to disappoint but they didn't meet in August 1971. According to Jonathan Dimbleby's biography of Prince Charles page 191, when Charles first discovered (whilst on shore leave in Antigua in spring 1973) that Camilla had got engaged he felt it cruel that his "blissful, peaceful and mutually happy relationship" had lasted a mere 6 months before he had left Portsmouth on his naval tour of duty on December 1st 1972. So Charles considered that his relationship had started sometime in May/June 1972.

 

[BellaFay]

Don't tell me about the Princes's Trust. which was fabricated for him,

Far from the Prince's Trust being a charity 'fabricated' for Prince Charles to which he just put his name, he directly created it after meetings with London probation officers and put his own money into funding the first pilot projects in the mid 1970s. He then spent the first decade of its life defending it from attempts by Palace courtiers to wind it up because they didn't think it was appropriate for the prince to be visiting former drug addicts and criminals.

 

[XeniaCasaraghi]

I took BeatrixFan's post to mean Queen Victoria's Albert too. That Albert had a lot of ideas and ways to improve things that he made a reality. Perhaps in the modern royal forums, when one says Albert, it brings up Albert of Monaco who I do think it would be insulting to compare Charles with.

I apologize, I did assume we were discussing Prince Albert of Monaco, not Prince Albert the Prince Consort. Totally my fault sorry Beatrix.
Albert SCG was extremely intelligent and did a lot for the country. I always thought people not wanting to listen to Albert had to do with xenophobia not necessarily a disdain for intellectuals.

 

[BeatrixFan]

My fault for not being clear enough! No, I did mean Prince Albert of SCG. The point I was trying to make was, Albert was pretty much told 'no' to everything until the very end when the government came to actually depend on him. And I predict the same for Charles, one day we're going to realise just what an asset Charles has been to Britain.

 

[Tyger]

The Old Man of Lothnagar by HRH The Prince of Wales

Today I received my copy of 'The Old Man of Lothnagar' by HRH The Prince of Wales.

A lovely book - and very interesting when one considers that this was a 20 year old Charles telling this story to a 4 year old Edward and 8 year old Andrew. Very sweet.

 

[Tyger]

The Prince of Wales delivers the BBC Richard Dimbleby Lecture

Great lecture given by Charles. Note the joke he tells at the beginning of the speech regarding a meeting he had with an older woman who confused his parents wedding with his mother's coronation - his delivery of the bon mot is perfection.

The Prince of Wales delivers the BBC Richard Dimbleby Lecture - YouTube

 

[Artemisia]

He really does make wonderful speeches, doesn't he?
I never quite appreciate just what a good orator Prince Charles is.

 

[Daria_S]

Today I received my copy of 'The Old Man of Lothnagar' by HRH The Prince of Wales.

A lovely book - and very interesting when one considers that this was a 20 year old Charles telling this story to a 4 year old Edward and 8 year old Andrew. Very sweet.

I got this book last week. Really looking forward to using it in my classroom.

 

[Tyger]

I got this book last week. Really looking forward to using it in my classroom.

Interesting - how will you use it, Daria_S? I'm teaching 5th grade this coming year so there is no way to use it. Are you in the littler grades?

 

[Daria_S]

Great lecture given by Charles. Note the joke he tells at the beginning of the speech regarding a meeting he had with an older woman who confused his parents wedding with his mother's coronation - his delivery of the bon mot is perfection.

The Prince of Wales delivers the BBC Richard Dimbleby Lecture - YouTube

I really enjoyed listening to this particular speech, and loved the story about his encounter with the elder woman. His speeches are never boring, because he does them in a storytelling style (and the jokes help people pay attention). It was great how he tied Henry VIII when talking about conservation.

Interesting - how will you use it, Daria? I'm teaching 5th grade this coming year so there is no way to use it. Are you in the littler grades?

I'm working with pre-K kids this year, and I'm thinking of using this book to talk about different places and cultures in the world, Scotland and UK, in this case. I may also use it for early literacy skills, like being able to name the characters and places that were talked about in the story. It may be too advanced, so I will have to see what level my kids are at before even attempting a lesson plan. Even if I can't do anything literacy-related, I can at least get them hooked on the fact that the book was written by a prince . That alone ought to be a hit. Maybe they'll be inspired to 'write' their own stories.

 

[rosana]

I didn´t know he could deliver such speeches without reading. He obviously has the backgroud, knowledge and studies to do so. I admire that, it´s a gift, but you also have to prepare hard.

 

[Isabella]

I'm working with pre-K kids this year, and I'm thinking of using this book to talk about different places and cultures in the world, Scotland and UK, in this case. I may also use it for early literacy skills, like being able to name the characters and places that were talked about in the story. It may be too advanced, so I will have to see what level my kids are at before even attempting a lesson plan. Even if I can't do anything literacy-related, I can at least get them hooked on the fact that the book was written by a prince . That alone ought to be a hit. Maybe they'll be inspired to 'write' their own stories.

That sounds like a wonderful idea! I remember when I was in kindergarten, we had a few lessons about different cultures from around the world; I'm quite certain I can trace my fascination with all things British back to those days (and of course the idea of royalty can really captivate young children); perhaps it will ignite similar interests in your students!

I haven't yet read "The Old Man of Lothnagar", but I think it's very sweet that, as a young man, he would take the time to write stories for his little brothers. I'm not sure how many men that age would do that. I think it highlights his sensitive side and also, as others have mentioned, his interest in storytelling. Among all the royal family, I think I tend to enjoy his speeches the most, as it often seems he puts extra effort to engage the audience.

 

[Daria_S]

That sounds like a wonderful idea! I remember when I was in kindergarten, we had a few lessons about different cultures from around the world; I'm quite certain I can trace my fascination with all things British back to those days (and of course the idea of royalty can really captivate young children); perhaps it will ignite similar interests in your students!

I haven't yet read "The Old Man of Lothnagar", but I think it's very sweet that, as a young man, he would take the time to write stories for his little brothers. I'm not sure how many men that age would do that. I think it highlights his sensitive side and also, as others have mentioned, his interest in storytelling. Among all the royal family, I think I tend to enjoy his speeches the most, as it often seems he puts extra effort to engage the audience.

Thank you for your encouraging words! I certainly hope that I'll be able to ignite some interest in things that are outside of realm of the Disney Channel, Sponge Bob, and video games when it comes to my students. I think Prince Charles would have made a great teacher for young children. He definitely knows how to captivate an audience, and I bet if he were given a chance to really have a go at a pre-K classroom, he'd be pretty unstoppable.

 

[Tyger]

I'm working with pre-K kids this year, and I'm thinking of using this book to talk about different places and cultures in the world, Scotland and UK, in this case. I may also use it for early literacy skills, like being able to name the characters and places that were talked about in the story. It may be too advanced

I haven't read the whole of it but what I have read is 'thick' and it strikes me as very place and culture specific. You can tell Charles was taking places and activities that his little brothers had personal experiences with - which would have made the story very exciting to them. And funny - some family jokes in there, I suspect. Very cute. Not sure the humor will 'fly', either, for the pre-K little ones - but if you do it, please tell how it goes.

I think Prince Charles would have made a great teacher for young children. He definitely knows how to captivate an audience, and I bet if he were given a chance to really have a go at a pre-K classroom, he'd be pretty unstoppable.

I think he is university material. In fact he would be a simply super Cambridge tutor imo. I would certainly come to hear him lecture. I have wondered if it would be totally beyond the pale for the King of England to be a University Professor on his 'off hours'. Now that would be modernizing the monarchy!

 

[Daria_S]

I haven't read the whole of it but what I have read is 'thick' and it strikes me as very place and culture specific. You can tell Charles was taking places and activities that his little brothers had personal experiences with - which would have made the story very exciting to them. And funny - some family jokes in there, I suspect. Very cute. Not sure the humor will 'fly', either, for the pre-K little ones - but if you do it, please tell how it goes.



I think he is university material. In fact he would be a simply super Cambridge tutor imo. I would certainly come to hear him lecture. I have wondered if it would be totally beyond the pale for the King of England to be a University Professor on his 'off hours'. Now that would be modernizing the monarchy!

When I read the book, the first thing I noticed is that it would require me to do a whole unit on royalty/UK/Scotland in order to even read it. Almost every element was specific to that region and it would be inevitable for children to have some prior knowledge in order to even be interested in the story. I do love that Charles used the fact that his brothers had a great deal of prior knowledge and wrote the book in such a way that their schemas would be activated from pretty much the first page. Brilliant, in my eyes. I too thought the book was very funny (and I have no doubt that some family jokes were included), but I do see how that humor would be lost on any child without the prior knowledge or some sort of background information. I do think you have a great idea in terms of His Highness lecturing at Cambridge, or some other prestigious educational establishment. I'd definitely want to sit in on a lecture or two. He's absolutely brilliant. Now, I don't know if he could do lecturing full time when King, but maybe a guest lecturer? I think that would make the event even more special for the students, and they may actually want to attend class (at least on that day ). The reason that I suggested he'd be good with little ones, is because he has such a great imagination (just look at what he came up with for his younger brothers). I think he'd be great at telling stories and encouraging things like imaginative play and literacy. Kids at younger level have such few opportunities to learn through play while at school, and a person like His Highness, with his imagination and love for reading and great ability to tell stories is exactly what early years (pre-K-year 2) are in need of. Having said that, I think your students could really enjoy this book. You're teaching year five, so I'm sure there's some form of history/geography in the curriculum. This book would be such a treasure to teach about Scotland and UK. I hope you'll be able to find some use for it. Plus, sometimes even older kids love to listen to a story, and this book can be a delightful tool for read-alouds.

 

[Tyger]

I agree with you analysis, Daria_S.

As for my coming year I will be doing Ancient Civilizations and North American Geography in the Social Sciences so no luck there. I haven't read the whole of the book - 'twill see. It might have a place in Geology - in a light hearted way - not sure why I say that, but a hunch - linking the geology of an area to the experiences people have and the stories that emerge.

 

[Daria_S]

It might have a place in Geology - in a light hearted way - not sure why I say that, but a hunch - linking the geology of an area to the experiences people have and the stories that emerge.

Oh, there's so much you can do with that! The book can be a great way to have kids look at where they live and what kind of stories they would write, if given a chance.

 

[Tyger]

Oh, there's so much you can do with that! The book can be a great way to have kids look at where they live and what kind of stories they would write, if given a chance.

Ah-Ha! I think we have the beginnings of a lesson plan, Daria_S!

 

[Daria_S]

Ah-Ha! I think we have the beginnings of a lesson plan, Daria_S!

Glad I can help . It's very scary how natural this was for me actually. Sometimes, I'll be looking at something in the bookstore, and think to myself 'I could really do something with this, if given the opportunity'. Of course this could also mean that I need to get out more (and not to the bookstore either ). I'd love to know how the lesson plan turns out.

 

[cepe]

Daria S and Tyger

Really pleased that you got the book - it is great fun. It was made into a film/children's programme which would need to have been adapted for a wider appeal than the 2 young princes for whom it was written. This might be available on u-tube. Just an idea.

 

[Daria_S]

Daria S and Tyger

Really pleased that you got the book - it is great fun. It was made into a film/children's programme which would need to have been adapted for a wider appeal than the 2 young princes for whom it was written. This might be available on u-tube. Just an idea.

I'll have to look into that. Maybe showing the movie may activate some curiosity about the book. Thank you so much for mentioning the book earlier in the thread.