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Charles & Camilla: Portrait of a Love Affair
This is the definitive account of one of the most extraordinary stories of our time. Gyles Brandreth, who spent many hours with Prince Philip in both formal and informal interviews, presents a unique portrait of his son, Charles, Prince of Wales, and of the one "non-negotiable" love of his life, Camilla Shand, now Duchess of Cornwall. What are Charles and Camilla really like? What is their heritage? What has made them the way they are? This is both a revealing portrait of two unusual individuals and a family saga like no other, told with unrivaled authority, insight, and humor, by a bestselling writer who has met all the key characters in the drama, including Charles, Camilla, and Diana, their children, families, and friends.
368 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
34 people are currently reading
144 people want to read
About the author
Gyles Brandreth
465 books400 followersFull name: Gyles Daubeney Brandreth.
A former Oxford Scholar, President of the Oxford Union and MP for the City of Chester, Gyles Brandreth’s career has ranged from being a Whip and Lord Commissioner of the Treasury in John Major’s government to starring in his own award-winning musical revue in London’s West End. A prolific broadcaster (in programmes ranging from Just a Minute to Have I Got News for You), an acclaimed interviewer (principally for the Sunday Telegraph), a novelist, children’s author and biographer, his best-selling diary, Breaking the Code, was described as ‘By far the best political diary of recent years, far more perceptive and revealing than Alan Clark’s’ (The Times) and ‘Searingly honest, wildly indiscreet, and incredibly funny’ (Daily Mail). He is the author of two acclaimed royal biographies: Philip Elizabeth: Portrait of a Marriage and Charles Camilla: Portrait of a Love Affair. In 2007/2008, John Murray in the UK and Simon & Schuster in the US began publishing The Oscar Wilde Murder Mysteries, his series of Victorian murder mysteries featuring Oscar Wilde as the detective.
As a performer, Gyles Brandreth has been seen most recently in ZIPP! ONE HUNDRED MUSICALS FOR LESS THAN THE PRICE OF ONE at the Duchess Theatre and on tour throughout the UK, and as Malvolio and the Sea Captain in TWELFTH NIGHT THE MUSICAL at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Gyles Brandreth is one of Britain’s busiest after-dinner speakers and award ceremony hosts. He has won awards himself, and been nominated for awards, as a public speaker, novelist, children’s writer, broadcaster (Sony), political diarist (Channel Four), journalist (British Press Awards), theatre producer (Olivier), and businessman (British Tourist Authority Come to Britain Trophy).
He is married to writer and publisher Michèle Brown, with whom he co-curated the exhibition of twentieth century children’s authors at the National Portrait Gallery and founded the award-winning Teddy Bear Museum now based at the Polka Theatre in Wimbledon. He is a trustee of the British Forces Foundation, and a former chairman and now vice-president of the National Playing Fields Association.
Gyles Brandreth’s forebears include George R. Sims (the highest-paid journalist of his day, who wrote the ballad Christmas Day in the Workhouse) and Jeremiah Brandreth (the last man in England to be beheaded for treason). His great-great-grandfather, Benjamin Brandreth, promoted ‘Brandreth’s Pills’ (a medicine that cured everything!) and was a pioneer of modern advertising and a New York state senator. Today, Gyles Brandreth has family living in New York, Maryland, South Carolina and California. He has been London correspondent for “Up to the Minute” on CBS News and his books published in the United States include the New York Times best-seller, The Joy of Lex and, most recently, Philip Elizabeth: Portrait of a Royal Marriage.
A former Oxford Scholar, President of the Oxford Union and MP for the City of Chester, Gyles Brandreth’s career has ranged from being a Whip and Lord Commissioner of the Treasury in John Major’s government to starring in his own award-winning musical revue in London’s West End. A prolific broadcaster (in programmes ranging from Just a Minute to Have I Got News for You), an acclaimed interviewer (principally for the Sunday Telegraph), a novelist, children’s author and biographer, his best-selling diary, Breaking the Code, was described as ‘By far the best political diary of recent years, far more perceptive and revealing than Alan Clark’s’ (The Times) and ‘Searingly honest, wildly indiscreet, and incredibly funny’ (Daily Mail). He is the author of two acclaimed royal biographies: Philip Elizabeth: Portrait of a Marriage and Charles Camilla: Portrait of a Love Affair. In 2007/2008, John Murray in the UK and Simon & Schuster in the US began publishing The Oscar Wilde Murder Mysteries, his series of Victorian murder mysteries featuring Oscar Wilde as the detective.
As a performer, Gyles Brandreth has been seen most recently in ZIPP! ONE HUNDRED MUSICALS FOR LESS THAN THE PRICE OF ONE at the Duchess Theatre and on tour throughout the UK, and as Malvolio and the Sea Captain in TWELFTH NIGHT THE MUSICAL at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Gyles Brandreth is one of Britain’s busiest after-dinner speakers and award ceremony hosts. He has won awards himself, and been nominated for awards, as a public speaker, novelist, children’s writer, broadcaster (Sony), political diarist (Channel Four), journalist (British Press Awards), theatre producer (Olivier), and businessman (British Tourist Authority Come to Britain Trophy).
He is married to writer and publisher Michèle Brown, with whom he co-curated the exhibition of twentieth century children’s authors at the National Portrait Gallery and founded the award-winning Teddy Bear Museum now based at the Polka Theatre in Wimbledon. He is a trustee of the British Forces Foundation, and a former chairman and now vice-president of the National Playing Fields Association.
Gyles Brandreth’s forebears include George R. Sims (the highest-paid journalist of his day, who wrote the ballad Christmas Day in the Workhouse) and Jeremiah Brandreth (the last man in England to be beheaded for treason). His great-great-grandfather, Benjamin Brandreth, promoted ‘Brandreth’s Pills’ (a medicine that cured everything!) and was a pioneer of modern advertising and a New York state senator. Today, Gyles Brandreth has family living in New York, Maryland, South Carolina and California. He has been London correspondent for “Up to the Minute” on CBS News and his books published in the United States include the New York Times best-seller, The Joy of Lex and, most recently, Philip Elizabeth: Portrait of a Royal Marriage.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
July 2, 2015
Added 6/27/15. (first published 2006)
I read Charles & Camilla: Portrait of a Love Affair by Gyles Brandreth. They are trying to "sell" Camilla to the public. :)
The first part of the book is filled with gossip about their ancestors. I'm not interested in who slept with whom back in the 1700s and 1800s. All those fancy titles of English nobility make my eyes glaze over. They are all strangers to me. I don't care a whit about them. Maybe the rest of the book will be more interesting since it will deal with persons I'm familiar with.
It's interesting to read the statistics of how the Brits feel about all this. It's also interesting to read how the media has treated the issues.
IMO, now matter how nice a person Camilla turns out to be, many of us can never forget the pain which Diana went through, pain which was caused by Camilla's relationship with Prince Charles.
Of course, the kids, William and Harry, are caught in the middle. They have to go along with what has happened, just as the Queen must go along at this point. The future awaits...
It will be interesting to see how all this turns out.
PS-I get the feeling that the author of this book tried his best to tell both sides of the story. It seems a pretty fair accounting. As one of my GR group members said: "Diana never had a chance." In other words, all the circumstances were stacked against her.
I read Charles & Camilla: Portrait of a Love Affair by Gyles Brandreth. They are trying to "sell" Camilla to the public. :)
The first part of the book is filled with gossip about their ancestors. I'm not interested in who slept with whom back in the 1700s and 1800s. All those fancy titles of English nobility make my eyes glaze over. They are all strangers to me. I don't care a whit about them. Maybe the rest of the book will be more interesting since it will deal with persons I'm familiar with.
It's interesting to read the statistics of how the Brits feel about all this. It's also interesting to read how the media has treated the issues.
IMO, now matter how nice a person Camilla turns out to be, many of us can never forget the pain which Diana went through, pain which was caused by Camilla's relationship with Prince Charles.
Of course, the kids, William and Harry, are caught in the middle. They have to go along with what has happened, just as the Queen must go along at this point. The future awaits...
It will be interesting to see how all this turns out.
PS-I get the feeling that the author of this book tried his best to tell both sides of the story. It seems a pretty fair accounting. As one of my GR group members said: "Diana never had a chance." In other words, all the circumstances were stacked against her.
November 24, 2011
A very well written biography, and shows the other side of that notorious royal triangle. Fanatics about Princess Diana will have a fit at the brutal honesty, but as they say, it takes both sides to make a marriage fail. In any case, I came away with greater respect for both Charles and Camilla after reading this. YMMV.
For the longer review, please go here:
http://www.epinions.com/review/Book_C...
For the longer review, please go here:
http://www.epinions.com/review/Book_C...
April 29, 2021
I have read a book about each of them, so thought I should read a book about both of them. There was a lot of content that I had previously known about. There was too much content about previous monarchs' mistresses for my liking.
July 3, 2025
Not as good as I had hoped.
February 18, 2011
This is well done--and does show how equally BOTH of Charles' wives came from establishment-friendly backgrounds. However, much of the information on Charles' childhood is lifted almost word-for-word from the author's earlier [wonderful] book on the marriage of Charles' parents--Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. I didn't find any real errors--the author is thorough. You won't find a whole chapter "legitimized" by reference to an article in the Daily Mail in his work. He's more than done his homework. It does show both how well suited Charles and Camilla are for each other as well as why he coudln't marry her back in the early 70s.
August 13, 2013
This book was an interesting read but very obviously pro Camilla and Charles. I think they are a great couple together but the book tended to airbrush over Charles marriage to Diana in one chapter.
There was some very interesting info about Edward VII and Mrs Keppell.
There was some very interesting info about Edward VII and Mrs Keppell.
Currently reading
October 15, 2009Yea, yea, I have a thing for British Royal Biographies. The juicer the better. ( You should see my Princess Collection). So sue me.
May 4, 2013
Loved this book. Seemed to tell the truth about the affair and it collaborated a lot of what Diana had said A really good book.
January 3, 2016
A good read with a minimum of gossip and speculation, an excellent historical background. It seems to be written honestly about 2 people who were truly meant to spend their lives together.
May 13, 2023
Fascinating about the extraordinary relationships of the Royal Family (basically they have been serially unfaithful for over 1000 years) but less incisive about C&C (Fred + Gladys) Brandreth considers himself a friend of Charles, but as I understand it the upper upper-class don't have friends: just peers and servants. Which ever way you spin it,the RF got more than they bargained for with Lady Di That however is what you get when your dad chooses your bride Still, with the Coronation a week ago, you have to say a la George Formby "Turned out nice in the end. For some #Not_Prince_Harry
February 10, 2020
I enjoyed the chapter on the history of royal mistresses and how it was quite normal for royalty to have affairs. However this book is so meandering and long winded!! Oh my goodness how it went on and on over the same points! The author repeats himself constantly. I think this book needed a good deal of editing to remove about 100 pages of repetitiveness and it would’ve been better.
October 12, 2024
RMSTitanic12
This was a fantastic read and Well put together I enjoyed it very much and ppl forward to following Charles and Camilla in future years
This was a fantastic read and Well put together I enjoyed it very much and ppl forward to following Charles and Camilla in future years
September 27, 2023
I was completely swept away by this book. The writing is both lyrical and poignant, leaving a lasting impression.
June 29, 2011
A sympathetic and engaging account of one of the most interesting love stories of our time.
There is too much name dropping in the first 2 chapters, and scant detail on all the names and how they are related. This is a bit tedious for those who are not familiar with the individuals mentioned, to fully understand and be interested in the connections between them, and why they are important to the history of Charles and Camilla.
To trace the couple's family history, the extended family trees could be discussed perhaps in a more comprehensive manner. Creating a link throughout history that does not overburden the reader, but is presented in a more concise way would have been a benefit. Further explaining the related person's role in the family and mentioning perhaps only the most important individuals would have made the first few chapters easier to follow.
We get a glimpse into the couple's close circle of friends and relatives and issues that are important to them, but their inner world, the essence of their real lives, their character, and who they really are, is not discussed at much length.
It is a book more about what others think of them, than who they really are, and a portrait of the two that emerges although positive, is very hazy. Although it is gossipy, the book is interesting, and demonstrates how deeply seeped in history and tradition their own and their families lives are.
Moreover, the end result is a somewhat touching, and enjoyable account of their lives, keeping you reading almost page-turner style.
There is too much name dropping in the first 2 chapters, and scant detail on all the names and how they are related. This is a bit tedious for those who are not familiar with the individuals mentioned, to fully understand and be interested in the connections between them, and why they are important to the history of Charles and Camilla.
To trace the couple's family history, the extended family trees could be discussed perhaps in a more comprehensive manner. Creating a link throughout history that does not overburden the reader, but is presented in a more concise way would have been a benefit. Further explaining the related person's role in the family and mentioning perhaps only the most important individuals would have made the first few chapters easier to follow.
We get a glimpse into the couple's close circle of friends and relatives and issues that are important to them, but their inner world, the essence of their real lives, their character, and who they really are, is not discussed at much length.
It is a book more about what others think of them, than who they really are, and a portrait of the two that emerges although positive, is very hazy. Although it is gossipy, the book is interesting, and demonstrates how deeply seeped in history and tradition their own and their families lives are.
Moreover, the end result is a somewhat touching, and enjoyable account of their lives, keeping you reading almost page-turner style.
September 12, 2012
Glitterature at its best. The sort of book I feel I ought not want to read - but always do. The title is a bit misleading...the book has rather more back-story than insight into the love affair itself.At a rough guess I'd say it was 50% re-hashed history; 20% re-hashed newspaper cuttings; 10% about Mr B himself and 20% a portrait of the affair. Brandreth, by the way, claims an ancester, Jeremiah, was the last man in England "to be beheaded for treason". Actually he was hanged. His head was cut off his body afterwards....but you can't let the facts stand in the way of a good story, eh Gyles?
November 23, 2014
I assume that this book was meant to create greater sympathy for Charles and Camilla but for me (as an outsider and not British) this has just made me dislike them more. How could you think it appropriate to bed your mistress in the same week as your marriage (and in the years thereafter with your wife in the same building)?
See my full review http://justreadingforfun.blogspot.com
See my full review http://justreadingforfun.blogspot.com
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews