In the early days of his public life, Prince Charles was often dismissed as an earnest, but eccentric heir to the throne who was more interested in the arts and the environment than the traditional duties of a monarch. Behind palace doors, his projects were indulged but rarely respected, even by his mother Queen Elizabeth's most senior aides. "The men in gray suits," as Princess Diana once called them, have been the topic of frequent conversation lately as related to Prince Harry and his relationship with his father. As one royal author recently wrote, The King has had his own issues with palace advisors.
Christopher Wilson, author of The Windsor Knot, wrote in the Daily Mail that The King's Trust—originally known as The Prince's Trust—almost didn't come to be until Prince Charles stood up to his mother's senior aides. Per Wilson, the then-Prince of Wales was struggling to figure out his role as heir to the throne 50 years ago, knowing he'd likely have a long wait until he became King.
