‘It's all about listening’: Prince Charles writes MORE THAN 2,000 letters a year to the public
There’s a reason why Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, has called her husband, Prince Charles, a workaholic, and why the heir to the British throne has spent the last three decades revamping his reputation.
It was revealed at a briefing on Wednesday for the annual royal financial report that the Prince of Wales has written more than 2,400 letters a year – almost seven a day.
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The 73-year-old reportedly receives tens of thousands of missives a year. According to People magazine, many are written directly to members of the public.
A royal source told the outlet, "Very often when members of the public write to him, they may be surprised to see on their doormat a personal letter to them from the heir to the throne."
The Prince of Wales believes "it is all about listening," the insider shared. "We only learn when we listen, and when members of the public write to him, that is a form of active listening. He really does take the thoughts and comments on board and learns from them."
According to the outlet, Prince Harry, Charles' youngest son, once even joked that his father, who is known to be at his desk until well until the night, would wake up with paper stuck to his face.
It has been years since Charles has been trying to overcome the fallout from the messy breakdown of his marriage to Princess Diana.
Diana was known as "the People’s Princess" for her ability to connect with the public in a way her husband never could. And it took years for many in Britain to forgive Charles, whose admitted infidelity and longtime links to Camilla torpedoed his relationship with the Princess of Wales.
Diana, who would have turned 61 on July 1, unfortunately, died in a Paris car crash in 1997 at the age of just 36, five years after her split from Charles. But since Charles married Camilla Parker Bowles in 2005, the public's mood has surely softened. Camilla, now known as the Duchess of Cornwall, has taken on roles at more than 100 charities, focusing on promoting literacy, supporting victims of domestic violence, helping the elderly, among other issues.
The 74-year-old Duchess's warmth has made Charles appear more relaxed, if not happier, as he cuts ribbons, unveils plaques, and goes about the often humdrum tasks of royal duty. Queen Elizabeth II has also sought to bolster the couple’s position by expressing her "sincere wish" earlier this year that Camilla be known as "Queen Consort" when Charles becomes king.
Meanwhile, Charles has been ready to step in whenever required, more obvious now earlier this year, when he presided over the opening of Parliament and delivered the Queen’s Speech laying out the government’s legislative program.
Robert Hardman, author of 'Queen of Our Times: The Life of Elizabeth II', said, "Prince Charles is the longest-serving heir we’ve ever had. He’s there. He’s on standby to do whatever needs doing if the queen can’t be there. But, you know, she made an oath that she was going to reign for her life. And that’s how she views it."