A cold war is quietly raging in Buckingham Palace. King Charles likes his palatial suites to be chilly, and has a habit of throwing open windows in midwinter. This is leading to “quite a few battles,” according to royal biographer Robert Hardman. Queen Camilla would prefer things “warm and cosy”, and staff are distressed by the frigid conditions. “If you ever wander around the royal buildings and are wondering where the King is, look for the flapping curtains,” is the sage advice.
Hardman has written a book about the King’s first year in office. Speaking at an Oldie Magazine literary lunch, he praised the new, more informal style of reign. “After many years of writing about royalty I never thought I’d see the words ‘enlarged prostate’ in a palace statement,” he said. The King took the view that he might be able to “do some good” by being candid about his condition, and indeed online searches for prostate treatment went up by 139% last week.
