Here's Why King Charles Feared His Mother Queen Elizabeth Was "Taken Advantage Of"
King Charles disapproved of some "inappropriate" photographs of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. A new book on the royal family explored an incident that infuriated Charles, who obviously loved his mother but was also highly protective of her. Ingrid Seward, the royal expert, details this and much more in her book.
My Mother and I, a book by Seward, look into the beautiful bond between Charles and the now-late Queen. The royal author wrote in her biography about the 75-year-old's reaction to his mother's famous sketch with Paddington Bear, per The Mirror. Apparently, the deceased Queen surprised her family with her involvement in filming the sketch.
In June 2022, the UK's famous fictional character Paddington Bear's sketch was shown during the televised Platinum Party at the Palace. It was filmed at Windsor Castle, featuring the Queen as her Jubilee act. According to the biographer, Charles was reluctant for his mother to partake in anything he deemed "undignified."
Seward wrote, "Charles never enjoyed his mother taking part in things he thought were undignified, but even he had to admit it was a resounding success," referring to the sketch. However, she insisted that while the now-king seemed to like the act, he was in "fury" when the late Queen was made to pose like a model.
The royal author added, "He was, however, irritated when Angela Kelly, the Queen's dresser and later private assistant, persuaded Her Majesty to allow herself to be photographed looking like a model, with her hands in her pockets, something apparently she had always wanted to do."
Unfortunately, one of those photographs was featured on the cover of Kelly's 2012 book Dressing the Queen, which angered Charles. Seward continued, "It was enough to incur Charles's wrath - he felt it was thoroughly inappropriate, however good the photographs may have been. He was protective about his mother and thoroughly disliked what he considered was taking advantage of her good nature."
Paddington Bear is a British fictional character from the book A Bear Called Paddington, published in 1958 by author Michael Bond. However, it was in 1986 that the late Queen formed a friendship with the bear through the book. But, in reality, Paddington met Queen for the first time in 2006.
The fun-loving and has also been featured alongside the Queen in an illustration by British artist Eleanor Tomlinson. The drawing showed Queen Elizabeth holding hands with Paddington alongside one of Her Majesty's beloved corgis. The character was even part of her 80th birthday celebrations.
The sketch's writer, Frank Cottrell-Boyce, told The Guardian, "When we asked the Queen to tea with Paddington, something magic happened – the most lovely goodbye. Watching her have tea with Paddington will have to do instead. A woman waving a happy goodbye to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, an image of love and a happy death."
