Prince Charles Upset About Ex-Royal Aide’s New Book; Details His Marriage To Princess Diana

Prince Charles is apparently “furious” over a pending new book that has been penned by a once-trusted royal aide. The Daily Mail reports that Dickie Arbiter, Royal Press Officer during the tumultuous period of 1988-2000, is set to release an autobiography. Arbiter is expected to dish on Charles’ marriage to Princess Diana and the breakdown of two other royal unions.

Arbiter denied the book is a “kiss-and-tell,” and instead described it this way:

“It’s a candid look behind some of the most salacious and sensational royal stories of those days from the perspective of someone who was not only there, but who also had experience of the monarchy.”

The Mirror quotes a palace source who said: “Charles is furious. This man was a trusted friend.” The source went on to say the royal family is expected to take legal action:

“Arbiter has been told that he does not have official permission to write this book and a legal team has reviewed all his old contracts in a bid to try and find a way to stop it.”

In addition to witnessing Charles and Diana’s marriage and its dissolution, and Charles’ notorious affair with his now-wife Camilla Parker Bowles, Arbiter was also working for the palace at the time of Diana’s 1997 death in a car crash. He worked closely with the Queen during the disintegration of two other royal marriages: Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson in 1996 and Princess Anne and Mark Phillips in 1992.

Ironically, Arbiter has been critical in the past of tell-all books written by palace insiders, and said in response to Tina Brown’s 2007 book on Princess Diana: “Everyone who writes a book is just cashing in. Frankly there is nothing more to write on Diana.”

Meanwhile, the palace source who spoke with the Mirror emphasized Prince Charles’ feelings of personal betrayal, specifically over Arbiter’s expected discussion of Charles’ divorce and Diana’s death:

“It is just a case of a man who he thought was a friend and who could be trusted cashing in on the misery of that time. It is disloyal.”

Arbiter is expected to reveal personal, emotional details such as the fact that Diana was deeply in love with Charles at the time of their nuptials, but that the relationship eventually turned sour. The book is also expected to reveal the Queen’s views of political leaders and stories of notorious characters, such as Jimmy Savile, who ran in royal circles.

The book, revealing a not-so-flattering history of the royal family, comes as the heirs to the throne Prince William and Prince George enjoy global popularity. If Prince Charles and the palace are unsuccessful at blocking its release, Arbiter’s book will be released in October.

[Left Image:Bob Thomas/Popperfoto/Getty Images; Right Image: Steve Parsons/PA]