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In Person: The Prince and the Princess of Wales
Based on the first full-length television interview ever granted by the Palace for the Prince and Princess, this illustrated biography by a distinguished British broadcaster records the lives of the royal couple since their engagement
127 pages, Hardcover
First published December 31, 1985
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 17, 2024
It seems like Charles and Diana’s marriage could function much like Terry Pratchett’s Ankh-Morpork Watch, in its early stages. You could shout: It’s 1985 and all’s well!, while making copious efforts not to notice anything suspicious.
Princess Diana looks from the glossy pages with her large doe eyes; her limbs gloriously relaxed; at perfect ease with the camera. She has that very photogenic serenity of a mind unclouded by too many thoughts. They say, she was not a thinker.
In rare, unchecked moments, when the public screams to hug her, or reporters clamber about her for shots, her face dives into unguarded self-satisfaction; ugly and crude.
Prince Charles is disassociating. Ignore the smile on his face; ignore the smile wrinkles forming around his eyes, since, obviously, all public figures are taught how to produce a “genuine” smile.
Look closely at the expression in his eyes, and you’ll see madness of the Lovecraftian variety, undercut by pure anguish. Despite having two sons, and finally reaping some benefits of relative popularity, Prince Charles of 1985 looks like a man who shouldn’t be left alone in tall buildings.
So you see, in many ways, this book provides a fascinating glimpse into human nature – it’s ancient tragedy, really, where all major events have already happened off stage, and we get to watch people parade in front of us, wearing masks.
I would advise against reading the text, if you can avoid it. The interviewer’s questions fall on a spectrum between dumb and moronic. Prince Charles gets asked if he’s vegetarian (no, but he’s trendy, so he eats mostly fish). Princess Diana is asked who picked her Venetian outfit (a travesty, I agree) and how she keeps so thin (after the divorce, she’ll retrospectively allege, she binged and purged). Does Prince Charles follow alternative medicine? Is Princess Diana jealous of Princess Anne’s insane work ethic?
Charles and Diana make awkward attempts to appear “average” and “relatable,” and the more they try, the more they debase themselves in my eyes. I find their personal revelations distasteful.
I’m not saying that monarchy involves pretending to be someone you are not, but it certainly involves striving to become someone you are not. There is a world of difference between the two attitudes: the first is based on arrogance and deceit, the other on humility and impersonal excellence.
I don’t think royals should ever talk about themselves – that is the privilege of common people. I don’t believe they should discuss personal pain or pleasure, or allow either to direct their steps.
Monarchy is an inhuman mission from a higher power, in service of a higher ideal, where any individuality becomes irrelevant to the duty at hand. Perhaps, in that sense, there are no monarchs left. If you lade an average person with the full realization and responsibility of this burden, it will break his mind, quicker than I can say: take him to the fruitcake department.
Princess Diana looks from the glossy pages with her large doe eyes; her limbs gloriously relaxed; at perfect ease with the camera. She has that very photogenic serenity of a mind unclouded by too many thoughts. They say, she was not a thinker.
In rare, unchecked moments, when the public screams to hug her, or reporters clamber about her for shots, her face dives into unguarded self-satisfaction; ugly and crude.
Prince Charles is disassociating. Ignore the smile on his face; ignore the smile wrinkles forming around his eyes, since, obviously, all public figures are taught how to produce a “genuine” smile.
Look closely at the expression in his eyes, and you’ll see madness of the Lovecraftian variety, undercut by pure anguish. Despite having two sons, and finally reaping some benefits of relative popularity, Prince Charles of 1985 looks like a man who shouldn’t be left alone in tall buildings.
So you see, in many ways, this book provides a fascinating glimpse into human nature – it’s ancient tragedy, really, where all major events have already happened off stage, and we get to watch people parade in front of us, wearing masks.
I would advise against reading the text, if you can avoid it. The interviewer’s questions fall on a spectrum between dumb and moronic. Prince Charles gets asked if he’s vegetarian (no, but he’s trendy, so he eats mostly fish). Princess Diana is asked who picked her Venetian outfit (a travesty, I agree) and how she keeps so thin (after the divorce, she’ll retrospectively allege, she binged and purged). Does Prince Charles follow alternative medicine? Is Princess Diana jealous of Princess Anne’s insane work ethic?
Charles and Diana make awkward attempts to appear “average” and “relatable,” and the more they try, the more they debase themselves in my eyes. I find their personal revelations distasteful.
I’m not saying that monarchy involves pretending to be someone you are not, but it certainly involves striving to become someone you are not. There is a world of difference between the two attitudes: the first is based on arrogance and deceit, the other on humility and impersonal excellence.
I don’t think royals should ever talk about themselves – that is the privilege of common people. I don’t believe they should discuss personal pain or pleasure, or allow either to direct their steps.
Monarchy is an inhuman mission from a higher power, in service of a higher ideal, where any individuality becomes irrelevant to the duty at hand. Perhaps, in that sense, there are no monarchs left. If you lade an average person with the full realization and responsibility of this burden, it will break his mind, quicker than I can say: take him to the fruitcake department.
September 19, 2022
5 stars for photos, 1 star for text/writing.
July 10, 2019
In a way, this was a depressing read. Having been written in 1985, the author and the world had no way of knowing about her untimely demise on 31 August 1997. I barely knew of her, although I do distinctly remember her speaking out about landmines. Had I been older, I think I would have held her in high regard as much as I do today.
There were things in this interview-book that were a bit unsettling, but not to the fault of the author. For example, when the author mentioned the people's response to her weight loss, I found myself remembering how I heard about her bout with bulimia. It was also odd to read how they were mutually in love; it would be years later that it was revealed that Lady Diana loved her husband dearly, but Prince Charles' heart still belonged to Camilla, the (at present day) Duchess of Cornwall.
Other than those two things, it was at least interesting to read more about what life was like for them (Prince Charles and Lady Diana) shortly after their marriage. It was also interesting to read snippets of history regarding the Royal family and their schooling.
Prince William (Now the Duke of Cambridge), and his brother Prince Harry were adorable in 1985. There were, indeed, many photos included in this interview-book; slightly depressing as it may have been, it was nice to see pictures of Lady Diana that I had never seen before. Not a boring read at all.
3 out of 5 stars.
My notes:
March 20th, 2017:
Pg 53, 41.41% "It's interesting to read certain things that were later revealed to be half truths. Reading about the original reaction to her weight loss was a bit difficult, what with her eventual confession. Altogether, though, not a horrible interview-book so far."
March 21, 2017:
Pg 69, 53.91%: "Interesting history."
There were things in this interview-book that were a bit unsettling, but not to the fault of the author. For example, when the author mentioned the people's response to her weight loss, I found myself remembering how I heard about her bout with bulimia. It was also odd to read how they were mutually in love; it would be years later that it was revealed that Lady Diana loved her husband dearly, but Prince Charles' heart still belonged to Camilla, the (at present day) Duchess of Cornwall.
Other than those two things, it was at least interesting to read more about what life was like for them (Prince Charles and Lady Diana) shortly after their marriage. It was also interesting to read snippets of history regarding the Royal family and their schooling.
Prince William (Now the Duke of Cambridge), and his brother Prince Harry were adorable in 1985. There were, indeed, many photos included in this interview-book; slightly depressing as it may have been, it was nice to see pictures of Lady Diana that I had never seen before. Not a boring read at all.
3 out of 5 stars.
My notes:
March 20th, 2017:
Pg 53, 41.41% "It's interesting to read certain things that were later revealed to be half truths. Reading about the original reaction to her weight loss was a bit difficult, what with her eventual confession. Altogether, though, not a horrible interview-book so far."
March 21, 2017:
Pg 69, 53.91%: "Interesting history."
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews