Hold your peace (Prince Charles against Iraq war and against America?)

News of the World (U.K.) ^ | 02/09/03 | CLIVE GOODMAN

[Pokey78]

A SERIOUS rift has opened up between Prince Charles and the government because he is seen to be AGAINST a war on Iraq and AGAINST America.

Whitehall also believes the prince is sympathetic to the view of his Arab friends that war on Saddam Hussein is a bid by the US to grab a stake in the Middle East's oil.

Yet despite being colonel-in-chief to 17 regiments, Charles has shown little public support for the soldiers, airmen and sailors who are about to risk their lives in a Gulf conflict.

There are also worries that he makes no secret of his anti-American views in conversations with members of Arab royal families and their leading officials.

A Whitehall source said: "Downing Street tries not to involve the prince in anything— because they have concerns over how he will react.

"He has this lunatic view he is the voice of the people."

Formal

And a diplomatic insider said: "It would be very unhelpful if the prince were to indicate anything other than unswerving support for the government."

The prince's stance was illustrated last week when—in his role as colonel-in-chief of the Paras—he said a stiff, formal farewell to his men as they prepared to leave for the Gulf.

His visit to the Parachute Regiment barracks in Colchester does not merit a single line on his official website. It was not announced by his own office.

Yet his opening of an Islamic education centre in Leicester two weeks ago is reported on the website with 19 paragraphs, two pictures and a full transcript of his speech.

Charles is rightly feted for his pioneering work creating understanding and tolerance between Islam and other faiths.

He also holds many honorary military positions, including chief to the Welsh Guards, the Paras and the Gurkhas. He is Vice-Admiral in the Royal Navy, Air Marshal in the RAF and Lieutenant General in the Army.

Critics say the prince likes to cut a dash in the Paras' coveted red beret—strutting around with a chestful of medals on his tunic. But they ask how the men of the Parachute Regiment would feel if they knew their colonel's true feelings on the war.

The prince's views have led to a worrying split with the American leadership. Two months ago, Charles had to abandon an official visit to the US because the White House made it clear he wasn't wanted.

The snub—directly from President Bush—came after security sources advised that Charles's presence in America would be "very unhelpful".

Washington diplomats were concerned the prince would show his disapproval during meetings with President Bush.

Charles—who reads the Koran every day and often adopts Islamic dress at home—spends long hours discussing the Middle East's problems with Saudi royal family members.

One of his closest friends is the former Saudi ambassador Ghazi Algosaibi who wrote a poem in praise of the first woman suicide bomber.

Algosaibi said that the "doors of heaven are opened for her". He once described the Israelis as worse than Nazis and he was a regular guest at Highgrove—Prince Charles's country home—before he was recalled by his government last year.

Charles is also close to King Abdullah of Jordan. His glamorous wife Queen Rania is a close friend of the prince's partner, Camilla Parker Bowles and is a regular guest at St James's Palace.

In private the prince talks about "Americanimperi-alism" collapsing the whole of the Middle East.

"Of course Saddam is an evil man, but American imperialism will not solve the problem," he said in one discussion.

He sympathises with his Saudi royal friends when they talk about their fears of America's true intentions in Iraq.

One close friend said: "They believe the US intends to collapse the whole Gulf economy and take control of oil.

"Once that happens the tensions in Israel and Palestine will explode."

Fraught

Charles's meeting three days ago with French President Jacques Chirac was fraught with diplomatic concerns.

Before the meeting the Foreign Office asked the Prince of Wales's staff if he would promise not to discuss Iraq.

They said yes, but Charles would feel free to give an opinion if Chirac raised Iraq first.

Downing Street is understood to have washed its hands of winning Charles's support.

"At such a sensitive time his views are wrong, wrong, wrong," said a Whitehall source.

"Unfortunately he is making them a little too widely known."

[Asclepius]

... "He has this lunatic view he is the voice of the people" ...

Indeed.

[egarvue]

Isn't it refreshing to live in a country that had the balls to tell their former king to go to hell? May the inbred, adulterous bonnie Prince Charlie rot there as well...

[Hugin]

Does anyone care what the human tampon thinks?

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

That big-eared bloke has good taste too.

Seems like he would have rather kept the horse-faced gene in his family, considering the old ugly bag he preferred over Diana.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

What relation, exactly, is Chuck to the pro-NAZI Duke of York of the WWII era?

[NonValueAdded]

Enlighten us, please. What is Mad Ivan's take on this?

[MadIvan]

You mean the Duke of Windsor, formerly the Prince of Wales and Edward VIII - he is Charles' great uncle.

Regards, Ivan

[happygrl]

Charles—who reads the Koran every day and often adopts Islamic dress at home—spends long hours discussing the Middle East's problems with Saudi royal family members.

As the head of the Church of England, does he ever read his Bible ?

Me thinks the Crowns's fear of a Muslim too close to the throne (in the case of Dodi Fayed and Princess Di) was misplaced. It seems that Charles has taken on alien robes.

[MadIvan]

My take is that Charles is erratic. Sometimes he does good things like refusing to meet with Jiang Zemin and criticising modern architecture. Other times he is just plain bizarre - preferring Camilla Parker Bowles to Princess Di, for example (In case he's reading this - Charles, I don't fancy yours, mate).

I have a fundamental gut feeling that Charles should not be king, and that it should pass to Wills who will be a good king precisely because he doesn't want the job. This feeling is only reinforced by stories like this.

Regards, Ivan

[Paul Atreides]

Charles should know by Bubba's example that the American public doesn't care about the opinions of a man who has made a living off of the public dole his entire life.

[keithtoo]

"Charles—who reads the Koran every day and often adopts Islamic dress at home"

What the?

This bozo is supposed to be "the defender of the Faith (Christianity)"

[Thinkin' Gal]

It seems that Charles has taken on alien robes.

[Tax-chick]

Probably thinks he's Lawrence of Arabia or something.

[bevlar]

Hey Bonnie Prince Charlie!!!! Get a JOB!!! Why don't we stop subsidizing these inbred morons!?!?!?

[OldFriend]

If it weren't for Tony Blair, there would be no more monarchy following Princess Diana's death.

Ugly man should just shut up and go back to talking to his veggies.

[OldFriend]

I suspect the Queen agrees with you that Charles should NOT be king.

[cowtowney]

I have this vision of Charles in his castle jumping up and down stomping his feet because no rational person takes him seriously.

[kanawa]

Charles—who reads the Koran every day and often adopts Islamic dress at home—spends long hours discussing the Middle East's problems with Saudi royal family members.

I find this hard to believe.

Looking at the home page of The News of the World it appears to be the British version of the Enquirer. Does this paper have any credibility? Are there any other sources for this information?

[I_Love_My_Husband]

IMHO, he's too close to the Arabs and should NOT be King, I'm hoping Prince William has a better head on his shoulder than Prince Charles.

Charles was an adulterer and it was his abandonment of her that set her off into a very bad path.

[Pokey78]

They did break the Victoria Beckham (Posh Spice) kidnapping plot a few months ago and informed Scotland Yard.

Also, I think the paper is owned by Rupert Murdoch.

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

More meaningless drivel from the big eared, adultery committing, horse faced woman shagging, pompous twit.

[Wild Irish Rogue]

Buckingham Palace was red faced, a few years ago, as taped convos surfaced between Charles and Camilla-suspected of being leaked by British intel.No one disputed their authenticity . From eonline-
" The tabloid press broke the news of their earthy relationship three years ago, publishing excerpts from phone conversations, including one in which Charles expressed his wish to be reincarnated as a tampon so that he might always be in her knickers"

[zebra 2]

Yea. I notice it's still PRINCE Charles, not KING. And he's getting a little long in the tooth to still be PRINCE. I suspect Mum's side-tracked him. Won't be a Charles III for yet a while.

[Savage Beast]

"Prince Charles...is...AGAINST America."

And IF this be true, then he is a fool.

[Savage Beast]

But I do not believe that it is.

[jocko12]

PRINCE WHO!!!!

[Keith]

Yes...this and the way he treated his ex-wife just proves that the Windsors are living proof that intermarriage produces imbeciles.

MadIvan, what do you say?

[joesnuffy]

[shrinkermd]

"Yea. I notice it's still PRINCE Charles, not KING. And he's getting a little long in the tooth to still be PRINCE. I suspect Mum's side-tracked him. Won't be a Charles III for yet a while."

Yes, this would be the best thing to happen. In the meantime, he is in James Jerome Hill's lingo "like the teats on a boar--neither useful nor ornammental."

[chantal7]

I can see why the British decided that the Royals should only be around for ceremonial affairs and were to stay out of the politics of the country.

I wonder if the Queen now sees that Charles shouldn't be King.

[Cicero]

England basically has a constitutional monarchy. Ever since the Glorious Revolution of 1688, and especially after they brought in the House of Hanover, British monarchs have done whatever the government said they should do.

We don't know what Queen Elizabeth II thinks about most political matters, because she simply does what she's told and keeps her private views to herself. By doing that, she has accumulated considerable authority and admiration.

I'm inclined to agree with Ivan that it would be wise to skip over Charles. Even the good things he has done, such as attacking modern architecture, have been done in an absurd and eccentric way. This current behavior is really the last straw. He cannot be trusted. If he did anything like this after he were crowned king, parliament would simply be forced to abolish the monarchy, and that would be a pity.

[chantal7]

Tag Line Clear

[joesnuffy]

The "Sustainable" Prince

[laconic]

It always seemed apparent that his own father thought he was a boob. I certainly thought he was crazy when he passed up a beautiful 19-year old wife with a lot of style and class for a surly hag of a homebreaker on his wedding night.

[exhaustedmomma]

I figured the whole family were creep-infested-whaco's when they allowed the taking of the 19 y old "virgin" bride for the sole purpose of producing "heirs." My greatest hope is the "heirs" turn out to be good, decent and honorable nobles. I am not sure if that is possible in the "firm", but one can hope and pray. I am pleased Wills doesn't want to be king--- that certainly has them sweating.

[laconic]

The last one I respected was the Queen Mother; although I think QE2 tries and she's a model of decorum compared to the grasping, snotty brats she has for children. Prince Philip is at least funny and says whatever he feels like; his quote on rising unemployment a few years ago: "everyones always complaining they don't have any free time and now they've got it" was priceless.

[exhaustedmomma]

Charles is influenced by the Gaia theology... good grief. I guess he thinks he is a direct decendant of mother earth and blue-green algae. I had to take a course in college where we had to study the Gaia theory... the prof was majorly into the whole ecofeminist idea. According to the theory, these goddesses (which can be traced back to the paleo something age) are the truest rulers of the earth and humankind. The theology is the wierdest of the wierd, IMO.

[exhaustedmomma]

I liked the Queen Mum, too. I just despised what happened to Di. It was just so wrong. Which is why I hope those two boys turn out as far different from the royal dad and grandparents as possible.

[ccmay]

Critics say the prince likes to cut a dash in the Paras' coveted red beret?strutting around with a chestful of medals on his tunic.

What a disgrace. This is one of the most unpleasant things about royalty and aristocracy. Cosseted toffs and nancy boys like Chuck Windsor have not earned the right to wear those berets and medals.

Imagine some pimply young Kennedy or Bush or Rockefeller whippersnapper being made an honorary commandant of Seal Team Six, and going around sporting the budweiser badge on his uniform. Absolutely repellent.

I was born in England and love it dearly, but it is time to get rid of these foreign parasites.

Let them swan around in colliery-band costumes and gold braid all they want, let them award each other the most ridiculous medals and orders they can dream up, let them continue their inbreeding and preening for the paparazzi, let them award themselves any preposterous title they like-- but turn them out of the public's castles and manors, let them earn their keep like anyone else.

And don't give them medals and commissions for which working-class Tommies like my grandfather fought and bled and died.

-ccm

[tophat9000]

Does anyone care what the human tampon thinks?

Is he the one with the wings?

[CatoRenasci]

Erratic? Stupid is more like it. The current British royal family, the House of Saxe-Coeburg-Gotha -- let's have none of this WWI era 'House of Windsor' obfuscation and eliding the truth -- , is historically known for studpidity and even madness. Germans, the lot of them, and not the best sort of Germans.

I have long known that real English aristocrats -- the Cecils come to mind -- have little use for the Germans on the throne. I must say Charles has always struck me as a particularly inept member of a family known for its lack of deftness. Perhaps its time to start casting about for a replacement. Prince William is half a Spencer, which is a respectable family, but I'm not sure he's worth the candle.

As the descendent of several of the barons who brought John to book at Runnymeade and (illegitimately) of John, I think it's time to put paid the the Germans in London -- send them packing back to Hannover or Gotha or wherever they'll take them in -- and bring back a good Anglo-Norman line. If there are no reasonably close descendents of the Plantagenets around, I'll settle for Lancaster or York, or even the House of Orange. But, no more bloody Germans!

[Emeraldgold]

He is proof positive that the English should continue the American revolution and fire the royal family.At that point England will be on the road to full Democracy.

[mosby]

Cromwell had it right.

[c-b 1]

This bozo is supposed to be "the defender of the Faith (Christianity)"

Several articles I have read strongly indicate that said bozo is the defender of the faith: Radical Enviornmentalism, (Earth Worship)

[demosthenes the elder]

and we should listhen to a blue-blooded, big-eared, hook-nosed, never-done-nuthin' ponce who couldn't keep his wife even though he could give her anything... why, exactly???

[demosthenes the elder]

surely you meant to say: England will then be on the road to becoming fully a constitutional republic governed by democratically elected representatives.
Yes?

[Blue Scourge]

I bet the Queen Mum is rolling over in her grave over this....and on a side note, since the King is the head of the Church of England, if Charles did convert to Islam he could not be king, I honestly think the royal system will end after The Queen dies.