I read Angela Levin's biography of Camilla ("Camilla From Outcast to Queen Consort") the other day. Lovely read. Definitely get the sense Camilla is exactly how we imagine her - fun, cheeky, intelligent, thoughtful, down to earth. Very much do recommend to all.
I have typed out (I adore you all that much
) pertinent parts regarding Overseas. I couldn't bring myself to type their names, so even within direct quotes from Levin, they are H and 43.
43's Evening didn't go so well, perhaps?
Did we raise the funds for the lookalike by selling the copies of the Bench we found in the bin outside the bookshop to the squaddies to frame? I noticed the doorstops were gone from the VIP lounge...
I have typed out (I adore you all that much
) pertinent parts regarding Overseas. I couldn't bring myself to type their names, so even within direct quotes from Levin, they are H and 43.H - "combination of lack of self-control, poor judgment and alcohol - he started drinking when he was twelve", "has always been more emotionally vulnerable and thin-skinned than William"
"Although he was good at putting on a front and being the joker at a party, his grief at losing his mother increased to overwhelm him. William suggested he seek help. Harry didn't listen at first, but told me he changed his mind when he was twenty-eight 'and the time was right'."
Unnamed insider said Camilla "'always felt quite wary of Harry and used to see him out of the corner of her eye looking at her in a long and cold way.'"
Camilla welcomed 43 when she arrived in London "warmly", "felt the experience she had from coping with public abuse, press insults and frostiness from the Royal Family put her in a good place to help 43 find her feet. They had lunches together and Camilla spent a lot of time offering advice on how to handle the pressure. She tried to be supportive, was happy to be her mentor and took her out for private lunches. A source at the time told me: 'She doesn't want to see anyone struggling and she is fond of 43.' 43, however, seemed bored, was unresponsive and preferred to go her own way, with the result that Camilla's advice landed on stony ground."
AL attended the Birthday Patronage Celebration for KC's 70th. AL told by aide H didn't want to overshadow on C's birthday so if AL wanted to see them, arrive early.
Camilla held 43's hand at one point. All warm and friendly between the two couples.
AL mentions the rumours that they were asked to leave - "I have never believed it. I saw for myself how they left full of smiles. There was no obligation for them to come in the first place. They came because they wanted to and left when they said they would."
Following publication of the Grenfell Cookbook, C&C invited Overseas to Highgrove for lunch, along with long-term friend of C&C's, Lucia Santa Cruz. Lucia - "'As a surprise, Camilla went out of her way to make sure the lunch consisted only of recipes from 43's cookbook' One that made no impact."
Insiders told AL Camilla wouldn't call 43 a "minx" as it isn't "'her sort of word and she would never give her views of her in front of anyone.'"
On The Crown:
"'When a certain timeline story is revisited by the press, television or film it causes the duchess a lot of stress and she gets very upset. That is the truth but neither she nor Prince Charles will talk about it.'"
"Prince H tohught the series was okay as long as it didn't include him. I had gone to talk to him at Kensington Palace in 2017 when I was writing his biography and his first question when he opened the living-room door and shook my hand was: 'Are you watching The Crown?'...'I am,' said Harry, 'but I wish they'd stopped at the end of the first series. They absolutely must not move on to the younger generation.' [Series 2 was airing at the time]
On Platinum Jubilee:
"Ironically H has swapped positions with his stepmother. Camilla bore being treated as an outcast for so long, but is now regarded as irreplaceable and well-embedded within the family. She also has become much more popular. H, on the other hand, has become an outside, much of his own making and has plummeted down the popularity ladder."
"H lectures us from afar on what not to do, like use planes, when he and 43 flew to and from their home in California in a private jet that creates about ten times as much greenhouse gas per passenger as a commercial flight. He has behaved destructively about his family, become self-focused and has said in a TV interview that the US and not the UK feels like 'home' to him. He's also been deeply concerned about his own family's safety in the UK, to the extent that the Queen loaned him her personal bulletproof Range Rover. Surprisingly, both he and 43 wound down the darkened windows to wave at those gathering for the celebrations, a gesture that seriously minimised their safety as anything could have been thrown into the car."
Says HMTQ DID see the California Quartet during the Jubilee. "An insider...said their meeting lasted only fifteen minutes, the atmosphere was formal, aides stayed in the room and the couple's request for their private photographer to take photographs of the two Lilibets together was firmly turned down."
Service of Thanksgiving for HMTQ during Jubilee: H's "position [in the second row with Lt Col Johnny behind] also prevented any chance of him being photographed with his brother and other senior royals that could be used commercially when he and 43 returned home."
"A reliable source has told me that H has recently been very negative about Camilla, but believes it 'could be part of his therapy process to relive certain things and he may want to blame someone else for his own mistakes. As I understand it his father and stepmother have become hateful in his mind. I've also been told that 43 has been horrible about her too. As for Prince Charles, the pain he feels about the situation with his younger son must be immense and Camilla is obviously the only person he can really talk about it with.'"
"It is particularly sad as H used to be known as the royals' peacemaker and openly defended Camilla when he said before the wedding that 'she's always been very close to me'. An upset, rather shocked Camilla has helped Charles deal with the problems H&43 have caused."
"Although he was good at putting on a front and being the joker at a party, his grief at losing his mother increased to overwhelm him. William suggested he seek help. Harry didn't listen at first, but told me he changed his mind when he was twenty-eight 'and the time was right'."
Unnamed insider said Camilla "'always felt quite wary of Harry and used to see him out of the corner of her eye looking at her in a long and cold way.'"
Camilla welcomed 43 when she arrived in London "warmly", "felt the experience she had from coping with public abuse, press insults and frostiness from the Royal Family put her in a good place to help 43 find her feet. They had lunches together and Camilla spent a lot of time offering advice on how to handle the pressure. She tried to be supportive, was happy to be her mentor and took her out for private lunches. A source at the time told me: 'She doesn't want to see anyone struggling and she is fond of 43.' 43, however, seemed bored, was unresponsive and preferred to go her own way, with the result that Camilla's advice landed on stony ground."
AL attended the Birthday Patronage Celebration for KC's 70th. AL told by aide H didn't want to overshadow on C's birthday so if AL wanted to see them, arrive early.
Camilla held 43's hand at one point. All warm and friendly between the two couples.
AL mentions the rumours that they were asked to leave - "I have never believed it. I saw for myself how they left full of smiles. There was no obligation for them to come in the first place. They came because they wanted to and left when they said they would."
Following publication of the Grenfell Cookbook, C&C invited Overseas to Highgrove for lunch, along with long-term friend of C&C's, Lucia Santa Cruz. Lucia - "'As a surprise, Camilla went out of her way to make sure the lunch consisted only of recipes from 43's cookbook' One that made no impact."
Insiders told AL Camilla wouldn't call 43 a "minx" as it isn't "'her sort of word and she would never give her views of her in front of anyone.'"
On The Crown:
"'When a certain timeline story is revisited by the press, television or film it causes the duchess a lot of stress and she gets very upset. That is the truth but neither she nor Prince Charles will talk about it.'"
"Prince H tohught the series was okay as long as it didn't include him. I had gone to talk to him at Kensington Palace in 2017 when I was writing his biography and his first question when he opened the living-room door and shook my hand was: 'Are you watching The Crown?'...'I am,' said Harry, 'but I wish they'd stopped at the end of the first series. They absolutely must not move on to the younger generation.' [Series 2 was airing at the time]
On Platinum Jubilee:
"Ironically H has swapped positions with his stepmother. Camilla bore being treated as an outcast for so long, but is now regarded as irreplaceable and well-embedded within the family. She also has become much more popular. H, on the other hand, has become an outside, much of his own making and has plummeted down the popularity ladder."
"H lectures us from afar on what not to do, like use planes, when he and 43 flew to and from their home in California in a private jet that creates about ten times as much greenhouse gas per passenger as a commercial flight. He has behaved destructively about his family, become self-focused and has said in a TV interview that the US and not the UK feels like 'home' to him. He's also been deeply concerned about his own family's safety in the UK, to the extent that the Queen loaned him her personal bulletproof Range Rover. Surprisingly, both he and 43 wound down the darkened windows to wave at those gathering for the celebrations, a gesture that seriously minimised their safety as anything could have been thrown into the car."
Says HMTQ DID see the California Quartet during the Jubilee. "An insider...said their meeting lasted only fifteen minutes, the atmosphere was formal, aides stayed in the room and the couple's request for their private photographer to take photographs of the two Lilibets together was firmly turned down."
Service of Thanksgiving for HMTQ during Jubilee: H's "position [in the second row with Lt Col Johnny behind] also prevented any chance of him being photographed with his brother and other senior royals that could be used commercially when he and 43 returned home."
"A reliable source has told me that H has recently been very negative about Camilla, but believes it 'could be part of his therapy process to relive certain things and he may want to blame someone else for his own mistakes. As I understand it his father and stepmother have become hateful in his mind. I've also been told that 43 has been horrible about her too. As for Prince Charles, the pain he feels about the situation with his younger son must be immense and Camilla is obviously the only person he can really talk about it with.'"
"It is particularly sad as H used to be known as the royals' peacemaker and openly defended Camilla when he said before the wedding that 'she's always been very close to me'. An upset, rather shocked Camilla has helped Charles deal with the problems H&43 have caused."
43's Evening didn't go so well, perhaps?
Excuse you, I mentioned a party, not the surprise. I've seen the total sums for the hire of the Haz lookalike for the evening, I'm not telling @Nuttynana a Richmond about that partHappy Birthday @Nuttynana. Love you to bits. Have a fabulous day with lots of pressies, treats and as much drink and food that you can manage.
p.s. I'm not supposed to tell but turn up at the VIP lounge tonight in your finest outfit cos there is a surprise party being arranged for you. I thought I'd better let you know beforehand as I didn't want you turning up in your Nora Batty stockings, floral pinny and still with your curlers in.
edit ..... just seen that @NorthernValkyrie has let it slip about the party ...... there's always one isn't there, who can't keep their gob shut?
Did we raise the funds for the lookalike by selling the copies of the Bench we found in the bin outside the bookshop to the squaddies to frame? I noticed the doorstops were gone from the VIP lounge...
maybe she instructed her staff to give out flyer‘s in the high street whilst she was whinging on about Me-me in the broom cupboard (have to say I have organised team awaydays cheaply and the rooms I have booked are better than this one she used) -
to get there. Also curious how much money was actually collected for this. If said monies were to provide scholarships to women or grants to not-for-profits, sorry to say they would have fared waaay better having a bake sale! 
