- Prince Charles is the son of Queen Elizabeth II
- The monarch expressed concerns about Charles
- The queen's letter addresses her son's health
Prince Charles has undergone a tremendous change. As a child he was considered rather shy, and as an adult, he was known to cause scandal. He wasn't always popular with the British people, but today the tide seems to have turned.
The royal family is very discreet when it comes to internal affairs, as it is usually only much later that one learns personal details about their lives. Thanks to a letter from Queen Elizabeth II, we can tell you how she saw her son as a child.
The queen wrote to midwife about Charles' health
The Express reports a letter that Queen Elizabeth II wrote to her midwife, Helen Rowe, shortly after the birth of her youngest child, Edward in August 1964. This gives us a glimpse into her thoughts about Charles at the time. "Charles is fortunately better, but he is very fragile so far," the Queen said in the letter, according to Express.
Rarely does one read in black and white what the Queen thought of her eldest son's condition, but this letter reveals clear words from her. It has to be said that the then 16-year-old Charles was not in the best of health either. As the New York Times reported at the time, he fell ill in July 1964, just a few months after Prince Edward was born.
Charles was struggling with pneumonia, which he contracted while on a camping trip with his school, Scottish boarding school Gordonstoun. He was even treated at a private hospital in Aberdeen. At the time the Queen wrote the letter to Rowe, Charles was still not in top form.
Prince Charles didn't have it easy as a child and teenager
Queen Elizabeth II called her eldest son "very fragile," but she could not only have meant his physical well-being. She may also have touched on Charles's emotional state. After all, the heir to the throne is said to have not always had it easy in his youth at boarding school.
While it looks like the Queen was worried about her firstborn's condition, she was less concerned about her youngest child. "He smiles and giggles at everyone and makes everyone happy," the Queen told her midwife in the letter, according to Express.
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He had a good reason for it!
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A lot of time has passed since the Queen wrote this letter, and Prince Charles has changed quite a bit over the years. It was probably not an easy time for the young prince, but he recovered from his pneumonia. Today he takes more and more work off the Queen's shoulders and prepares to become king himself– what a development!
