In the upcoming book The King: The Life of Charles III by royal insider Christopher Andersen, it’s revealed that the then-Prince had numerous temper tantrums, including one that was quite smashing.
King Charles III, whom the book — due out Nov. 8 — also reminds us had a massive crush on Barbara Streisand and referred to her as his only pinup, would go into a blind rage often at the expense of just about anyone around him. One such incident involved assaulting his valet after the then-Prince himself lost a cufflink.
He took out annoyances on his gardening staff at his Highgrove Estate, double-checking their work and, if unsatisfied, he would berate them with a megaphone so that they were sure to hear. One of the staffers told Andersen, “For someone who said he was bullied as a child, Prince Charles clearly enjoyed bullying us. He could be pleasant and courteous but, just as much of the time, he was moody and mean.”
Former royal valet, Ken Stronach, claims he witnessed Prince Charles get into numerous arguments with his wife, Princess Diana. One of them nearly ended in disaster when the Prince became so enraged that he picked up a wooden bootjack and threw it at his wife, barely missing her head.
Perhaps one of his most epic temper tantrums came at the expense of his friend’s country home. Charles really wanted some fresh air but couldn’t figure out how to open the windows. Andersen writes about what happened next, “Unable to open the window, he picked up a chair and smashed it open. Not satisfied with the results, he smashed another.”
Stronach’s note about the incident perhaps reveals not just how common Charles’ outbursts were but just how he and the staff felt they had no choice but to accept it. “You have to understand, the Prince is accustomed to getting what he wants….and he wanted some fresh air.”
