The unsuspecting way the Queen 'embarrassed' Prince Charles at school making him ‘very self-conscious’
The unsuspecting way the Queen 'embarrassed' Prince Charles at school making him 'very self-conscious' has been revealed.
- The Queen 'embarrassed' Prince Charles when he was at school in an unsuspecting way.
- Her Majesty gave a televised speech and in it, he learned of his new title.
- This royal news comes as The Queen has welcomed a new family member and she is ‘delighted’.
The Queen 'embarrassed' Prince Charles when he was at school in an unsuspecting way and it made him very self-conscious, royal biographer has revealed.
Her Majesty had decided to announce a new title for her son, who was aged nine at the time but failed to warn him beforehand - classic parenting fail, which proved to be a right royal embarrassment.
As a result, an unsuspecting Charles was attending Cheam, the preparatory school at Headley, when his mother's embarrassing move played out on TV in front of several of his classmates.
Writing in his new book, The Queen, by royal biographer Matthew Dennison recalled the moment Queen Elizabeth II experienced conflicting duties as a monarch and a mother.
He wrote, 'The conflict in Elizabeth’s life that arose from her multiple roles appeared to be symbolised by her decision, in the summer of 1958, to confer on Prince Charles the title of Prince of Wales without any warning to Charles himself.
He continued, 'He learned of it in the headmaster’s study at Cheam, in company with a group of classmates, watching on television the closing ceremony of the Empire and Commonwealth Games in Cardiff.'
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Prince Charles attended the school for five years - from 1957 to 1962 but just a year into his time at the new school, he was left mortified.
"Elizabeth’s pre-recorded message was roundly applauded in Wales and beyond. Charles’s reaction was of acute embarrassment," Mr Dennison added.
It's not the first time royals have been 'embarrassed' by their parents, Prince William was 'left embarrassed' by his mum Princess Diana during a trip to Thorpe Park.
He later discussed the incident with Express.co.uk and said Charles's timid reaction is a credit to his modest nature.
He explained, "I can imagine that something like that would make a small child very self-conscious. It reflects a credit on Prince Charles that he felt like that rather than terribly boastful."
Traditionally, the title of Prince of Wales is given to the eldest son of the reigning British monarch and while the Queen first announced the news to the world on 26th July 1958, he had to wait 11 years for the title to be made official.
The investiture, the formal ceremony where the title was bestowed on Charles, took place on July 1, 1969, at Caernarfon Castle in Wales.
Selina is a Senior Family Writer for GoodtoKnow and has more than 16 years years of experience. She specialises in royal family news, including the latest activities of Prince George, Charlotte, Louis, Archie and Lilibet. She also covers the latest government, health and charity advice for families. Selina graduated from the University of Sheffield in 2006 with a degree in Journalism, and gained her NCTJ and NCE qualifications. During her career, she’s also written for Woman, Woman's Own, Woman&Home, and Woman's Weekly as well as Heat magazine, Bang Showbiz - and the Scunthorpe Telegraph. When she's not covering family news, you can find her exploring new countryside walking routes, catching up with friends over good food, or making memories (including award-winning scarecrows!)