Charles and Camilla

Portrait of a Love Affair

By: Gyles Brandreth

Narrated by: Stephen Thorne

Length: 13 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

This is a story of the most well documented, most commented on love affair of our times. Yet the personalities behind the facade remain elusive and the nature of their relationship is an enigma. This is the first major biography of Charles and Camilla, two people who have battled against the curious lot that fate has thrown their way.

Gyles Brandreth returns to the same ground as his last book, the bestselling Philip and Elizabeth; Portrait of a Marriage. This again will be a unique royal biography, as the author has met all the principal players, has had privileged access to the royal family. This will be a powerful and revealing portrait of a remarkable relationship, told with authority and insight and illustrated with photographs from the royal collection.

©2005 Gyles Brandreth (P)2014 Audible Studios

Critic reviews

"Book of the year... Riveting, gossipy and touching" (Mail on Sunday)
"Could this be the best book ever written about the Royal Family?... A masterpiece" (Sunday Express)
"Utterly fascinating" (Andrew Marr, Start the Week)
"Highly accomplished... there is much here to entertain and inform" (Sunday Telegraph)
"Completely fascinating - written by the man who really knows" (Richard and Judy)

The title should be "Finding Charles and Camilla"

Would you try another book from Gyles Brandreth and/or Stephen Thorne?

...Because most of the book is about many, many royals and not so much about Camilla and Charles.
It's interesting, although not new nor revolutionary. It basically recounts stories from the
Victorian era to this days.
If you are looking for some juicy secrets, then you'll get disappointed.

Nothing New and Yet Still Sad

I am glad I bought the audiobook because I love Stephen Thorne's voice. But as much as I love history, I really didn't need a review of the extramarital affairs of British rulers, beginning with an Anglo Saxon King, rocketing on through James II, William and Mary, not of course skipping the Regency, Wallis Simpson, and everyone in between. We hear about Camilla's childhood, the Prince of Wales childhood, Diana's childhood, (of course she was still in her teens when she became engaged to the Prince of Wales, and btw what was her family thinking). We hear again about Diana's feelings about Charles and Camilla, and a discussion of whether they were founded. (duh) We hear the famous phone conversation between Charles and Camilla which was illicitly recorded.

I expect I am not the only person who wanted to know how these people survived the firestorm surrounding their relationship for so many years, and was naive enough to expect it to be told in a book. How have they survived such personal vilification, from being accused of bringing down the Monarchy, to being really repulsive people. Obviously many marriages crumple under much less pressure. Still these two people are still clinging to each other.

The author of this book, and his unnamed friends of the Royals, state repeatedly that the Prince of Wales and his Duchess are not talking to the press. Finally a little dignity in silence. Still I would like to know how they stood the pressure, without turning on each other, and just not giving in and giving up.

I bought this audiobook on impulse. I wish I had not.

The Real Inside Story

This is a fair and far more accurate portrait of the future King and Queen than most of the books published about them in the last twenty-five years. Excellent narration of a well documented and well-researched biography.

What a fairy tale lived!

I was enchanted by the story of a love that beat every difficulty imaginable. I felt the author portrayed the story fairly. Many times he addressed the gossip with articulation of both sides. The narrator is one of the best I've heard. His voice is very soothing. I didn't want this one to end.

Enjoyable but not "juicy"

What did you like best about Charles and Camilla? What did you like least?

I was in the mood for something gossipy, so I picked this up. I should have known that everything that could be said about Charles and Camilla has already been said. She made better copy as a Mistress than she does as a wife. There is a lot about the Diana days here (way too much). And there is a fairly long section about the infidelities of several monarchs of old...interesting information but not well integrated within this narrative.

What does Stephen Thorne bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The best part of this listen was the narrator, who was pitch perfect. Although the book has no new information, it is fairly well written so the narrator was able to make it flow.

Do you think Charles and Camilla needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

Goodness, no.

Book not very truthful

This book was definitely not the true full story. According to the book, both William and Henry were good with their father marrige to Camille. But this week on CNN, Andreson Cooper interviewed Prince Henry, and he stated that both him and William wanted their father NOT to marry Camille. Now the 2 adulterers are the head of the church for the country. my opinion is...Britain doesn't need a royal family. This book was in some way a 'spin doctor' way to make both Charles and Camilla look good.

May be the worst book i have ever read

Would you try another book from Gyles Brandreth and/or Stephen Thorne?

no

What was most disappointing about Gyles Brandreth’s story?

way too much detail about relatives

Would you be willing to try another one of Stephen Thorne’s performances?

maybe

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Charles and Camilla?

boring detail about family. mainly Camilla, Told me way more than I wanted to know about her family

Interesting

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I am not sure.

Has Charles and Camilla turned you off from other books in this genre?

No.

What does Stephen Thorne bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He is a great reader and does a very good job.

Could you see Charles and Camilla being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Yes.