Charles Was ‘Horrified’ by Diana’s Parenting Choices — and Thought It Was ‘Just to Spite Him’
King Charles reportedly questioned whether Diana’s hands-on parenting was genuine or a subtle move that left him looking like the bad guy.
According to a report, King Charles III struggled with Princess Diana’s parenting style, particularly her desire to give their children a life that felt more normal than royal. Royal expert Russell Myers wrote in his new book, William and Catherine: The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside Story, “Diana was adamant in her desire to give her boys a more 'normal' upbringing. She took both boys on trips to theme parks, the cinema, and even the fast food restaurant chain McDonald's.
The public may have loved Diana’s approach, but behind the scenes, King Charles was said to be deeply uncomfortable and even ‘horrified.’ Myers wrote in his book, “He questioned her motives to a former aide, asking, 'Does she do it just to spite me?’” The royal author also claimed that Charles believed Diana’s attempts at appearing “normal” only pushed a wedge between him and the public.
The difference in parenting styles was also one of the reasons that drove Charles and Diana further apart in their already difficult marriage. Princess Diana was always known to put her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, above everything else. In the royal biography, it says that she called herself “a mother first and show pony second” and praised William for being wise beyond his years.
The royal expert explained that Diana was not one to blindly follow tradition, which is why she wanted her kids to experience real life beyond royal rules. That mindset led to visits to hospitals and homeless shelters. Myers added, “Diana's actions only caused more difficulty in her relationship with Charles, who responded by refusing to involve himself in his children's education, and making references to his wife's 'hysterical' nature.”
As things got worse in the marriage, Charles reportedly started pulling back even more, according to Myers. A former royal aide said he had basically reached a point where he did not see things working out or lasting at all. Instead of getting into constant conflict, he chose to step back and let Diana do her own thing. “So he threw in the towel and allowed Diana to go about her business. If it was going to be a battle of popularity with the public he was astute enough to know he wasn't going to win by taking the boys to fast food restaurants, so he maintained his relationship with them in private,” Myers wrote.
The Royal family is currently all set to celebrate Easter Sunday together at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor. However, following Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest due to his connections with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, his daughters have also been affected. Both Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie will be missing the event as their presence might bring in unwanted attention on the joyful day. Andrew has been stripped of his royal titles and evicted from the Royal Lodge by his brother, King Charles III. Sarah Ferguson also had to vacate the premises, and her whereabouts remain unknown.
