Gyles Brandreth is a prolific writer, having penned two novels, several non-fiction titles, five children’s books and five plays. He’s written two autobiographies, so he must be (or consider himself) an interesting fellow.He’s also an accomplished biographer, with Dan Leno, John Gielgud, and Queen Elizabeth among his subjects. This is why I was intrigued by Charles & Camilla: Portrait of a Love Affair, positioned as “the definitive account of one of the most extraordinary love stories of our time”.
If Brandreth had immortalised Queen Liz, and she’d more or less approved, surely he’d tread carefully in his portrait of two individuals so battered by the media? And would his tread be so careful as to straddle the biographical fence?
Yes. It would.
Portrait begins with an engaging preface and a clever prologue, using extracts from a Brandreth diary kept in the run-up to the Charles/Camilla nuptials. It promises readers “the secret” of their thirty-four year relationship and an exploration of how a horsey home-wrecker morphs into the Princess Consort. Delicious.
But Portrait goes downhill from there – into chapters of ancient inter-marriage and royal muddle, peppered with parallels between Charles/Camilla and Royals/Their Mistresses Through The Ages. The best part (dare I admit this publicly?) is the transcript of ‘that telephone conversation’, which gives astonishing insights into both personalities.
If you’re a Royalist, buy it. If not, just pick it up and turn to page 258.
P.S Brandreth is right in his assertion that Camilla is actually rather pretty these days.
If Brandreth had immortalised Queen Liz, and she’d more or less approved, surely he’d tread carefully in his portrait of two individuals so battered by the media? And would his tread be so careful as to straddle the biographical fence?
Yes. It would.
Portrait begins with an engaging preface and a clever prologue, using extracts from a Brandreth diary kept in the run-up to the Charles/Camilla nuptials. It promises readers “the secret” of their thirty-four year relationship and an exploration of how a horsey home-wrecker morphs into the Princess Consort. Delicious.
But Portrait goes downhill from there – into chapters of ancient inter-marriage and royal muddle, peppered with parallels between Charles/Camilla and Royals/Their Mistresses Through The Ages. The best part (dare I admit this publicly?) is the transcript of ‘that telephone conversation’, which gives astonishing insights into both personalities.
If you’re a Royalist, buy it. If not, just pick it up and turn to page 258.
P.S Brandreth is right in his assertion that Camilla is actually rather pretty these days.
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