After Diana: William, Harry, Charles, and the Royal House of Windsor by Christopher Andersen Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of After Diana: William, Harry, Charles, and the Royal House of Windsor
Book Review: Interesting look at the royal family post Diana
Summary: 5 Stars
I found this book to be very interesting. I like the royal family and I know some about them and even I found some things about Prince Charles and Princess Diana that I did not know before reading it. If you are interested in the royal family or Princess Diana this is a book for you.Book Review: more about the royals
Summary: 3 Stars
I did like this book. I had hoped to learn more but it was much of the same information in other books.Book Review: Some shocking facts that deserve more focus
Summary: 4 Stars
With all of the attention on Tina Brown's book (Diana Chronicles), I think a lot is being missed in this book. For instance, the fact that William and Harry could have a half brother because of an ongoing affair between their father and a Canadian secretary. Why isn't the media talking about THAT? All in all, a pretty good book--not a lot of new stuff for true Di fans, but worth the read. Book Review: Good book, but he should double check his sources.
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a good book and well written, however I have only one problem with this book...in the biblography...Mr. Anderson states that he used "William's Princess: The Love Story that will Change the Royal Family Forever" as one of his sources.
If Mr. Anderson used this particular book, then he should double check the sources that particular author used for that book!
I have stated this once, and I'll say it again...only the future knows if Will and Kate get back together or if they meet and marry other people. If they do get back together...then certain elements of the press should leave the poor girl alone before she ends up like Princess Diana...dead after being chased by paperazzi.
Book Review: Mostly a good read
Summary: 3 Stars
I liked this book overall but what prevented me from giving it 5 stars was the tiresome old gossip about Hewitt being Harry's father. There is even "proof" in the illustrations with Harry making similar face as Hewitt (I make the same face sometimes too and I know I am not related to Hewitt or Harry). There is a picture of Diana making the same face--the author could have used that instead. Regardless of the author's rather earnest discussion of the reasons that it is possible Hewitt sired Harry, I see NO resemblance. Had the author put a pic of the young Prince Philip (Harry's granddad) next to Harry the resemblance would be startling certainly convincing readers that Prince Charles IS Harry's father. Plus, the turned up nose IS a Windsor and Spencer trait. The author should have also put up a pic of Harry and Charles as toddlers and there would also be proof positive. I don't understand some writers obsession with this. Plus the "proof" is laughable, Hewitt to make a buck goes on television to get hypnotized and comss up with this story of Harry possibly being his (hypnosis can be faked and I doubt Hewitt's credibility). Diana and Charles both told their biographers Harry was planned (Charles called it the breeding period). Why would Diana in her right mind go sleeping around when she and her husband were trying to conceive the second child both wanted. Diana herself indicated she still had hopes for the marriage when Harry was conceived with Charles and she was awaiting his birth. Anderson also says that there was no DNA test which contradicts the Seward/Simmons Diana book where it says there was a test and Harry is Charles' son. I think giving ANY space to this vicious gossip is wrong but Andersen keeps going back to it like we didn't notice it the first time. Harry is Charles' biological son. Case closed.
That being said, the rest of the book was OK. Though I wonder how Andersen got hold of the "pillow talk" conversations between Charles and Camilla. Until they publish their own diaries or give interviews, this is just speculation or hearsay.
The book is an honest warts and all account of Charles, Camilla, William, Harry and Queen Elizabeth II. The author paints William and Harry human like many young men today with a taste for nighclubbing and overindulging and writes how in various ways they are like their parents Charles and Diana. The author also revisits the past and tells again of the poignant story of Diana and her marital discord with Charles. The author also tells of how Charles cheated on Camilla and Diana with other women including Janet Jenkins and Kanga Tryon. Though the author tries to paint Charles as the Good Guy saving Diana's funeral, I found it hard to work up sympathy for him considering how he treated Diana while she wwas alive. According to another book, Charles had Camilla at a luncheon at St. James Palace when Diana was lying in state and some of the staff noted Harry wandering around looking rather lost. The author also doesn't mention how Diana's mother was bitterly disappointed that she couldn't bring back the body plus how the Queen never called in sympathy.
The love lives of William and Harry are chronicled and many details are given to their relationships with Kate Middleton and Chelsy Davy. The book stops at March 2007 before William-Kate breakup (are they back together as of June?) and Harry's being informed he couldn't serve in Iraq.
Their education and both attending Sandhurst are also described. The author writes about how Harry didn't know the details about World War II and dwells on the lack of education but just touches on how William apparently approved of Harry's costume choice (apparently William was just as clueless as his younger brother). Andersen does focus on the boys' charitable work and mentions how this continues their mother's work.
Andersen is quite candid about how Diana's memory is not always being kept well by the royal family with the Queen's own family members and ladies in waiting making sniping comments about the late Princess. He mentions how William protested Jephson's book because it was 'offensive' to his mother. In my opinion, it actually was more critical of Prince Charles, perhaps spurrping Charles and William to go out there and complain. I notice really venomous books about the late Princess get no commnt from the Palace.
Andersen also talks at length about Diana's death, the inquest, and oonspiracy theories. He quotes from Diana's letters where she writes that her husband wants t do away with her so he can remarry. He claims it was Tiggy Legge-Bourke that Diana thought Charles would marry and Diana allegedly thought Camilla would be targeted as well. I disagree. I doubt Charles would have even thought for a second about marrying Tiggy--his aim was to marry the non negotiable Camilla who in my opinion was quite safe from the men in gray.
I liked this book overall but I am irritated by yet another book with mention of Harry's being "sired" by Hewitt. This is gossip and hurful to Harry. The author writes how this gossip hurts Harry yet puts it out himself.Again Harry is Charles' case closed. To be fair, the author should have put in the illustrations the comparison shot of Philip and Harry and/or Charles and Harry shown at the same age (as toddlers).