Prince Charles became a “huge disappointment” to the Queen and Prince Philip because he was “so unhappy” in his role as a student, a royal commentator has claimed. Biographer Angela Levin joined True Royalty’s The Royal Beat to discuss the Prince of Wales’ “early experiences”. She noted that the royal heir had “hated every minute” at the very austere boarding school he had been forced to attend from 1962.
Ms Levin said: “His father was very very keen that he went to school in Scotland, where he’d been.
“Prince Charles absolutely hated it, he said Gordonstoun was like a prison.
“He had to have cold showers at 4am, he was bullied, they went out running in the ice.
“It just wasn’t him, it was very pro-sporty.”
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She continued: “Prince Andrew enjoyed it very much, but Prince Charles absolutely hated every minute.
“The Queen Mother tried to persuade the Queen and Prince Philip to send him to Eton, but they absolutely refused.
“So he became a huge disappointment to his parents because he was so unhappy there.
“That affected his confidence, and it’s tragic really because those early experiences lasted quite a long time for him.”
Biographer Robert Jobson told The Royal Beat: “He did hate it, he was bullied, he did suffer.
“But once he did a term in Australia and then came back, he actually didn’t mind it. In sixth form, he was a bit more used to it.
“He actually ended up reflecting that it wasn’t as bad as he thought.
“Everyone talks about Charles as this very sensitive boy, but he did pretty well at sport in the end.
“People criticise the Duke of Edinburgh, saying he shouldn’t have put his son through this, but it probably toughened him up a little bit.”
