The royals - Kitty Kelley [151]
Outside Balmoral, the international press had gathered, staking out the entrances and clamoring for photographs. Charles was incensed, saying they had enough photos from following the Britannia for two weeks with their snoopy long lenses. He was even annoyed at Patrick Lichfield, the Queen’s cousin, for having taken a candid shot of the royal wedding party that he sold around the world. “He never even submitted the pictures to the Queen,” Charles grumbled. Lichfield’s unstaged photo showed the Prince and Princess of Wales and their bridal attendants sitting on the steps of the Throne Room after the wedding, collapsed in laughter. Charles thought the photo taken in a relaxed moment made them look undignified. Having given Lichfield exclusive access to photograph the wedding, Charles felt used. He had not expected him to sell the photos without approval. “I can’t believe Lord Lichfield could have let us down so badly,” Charles said. Lichfield later made copies of the famous photograph and distributed them instead of business cards.
“He gave me one,” said the Pulitzer Prize– winning photographer David Hume Kennerly. “He’s an arrogant guy, but the picture of Charles and Diana is a great moment.”
Charles was in no mood to placate the press, but by the fourth day of the Balmoral segment of the honeymoon, he had no choice. The royal family felt besieged, so the Queen dispatched her press secretary to negotiate a settlement: an interview with the newlyweds, plus photographs, in exchange for privacy. The deal was cut, and Charles, who groused, was required to cooperate.
The Prince of Wales was Colonel in Chief of the Gordons in Scotland, so for the interview he dressed in full tartan garb—knee-high socks, plaid kilt, and leather sporran (a pouch worn in front of the kilt). He appeared at the appointed hour to meet the newspeople, holding his wife’s hand.
“Where do you want us to perform?” he asked.
“Right here is fine, Your Royal Highness,” said a reporter.
Charles recognized him. “I hope you had a nice time going round the Mediterranean.”
“Bit expensive,” said the reporter.
“Good,” said Charles with a tight grin.
The cameras whirred and clicked as the churlish Prince and his charming Princess chatted with the press.
“How was the honeymoon?”
“Fabulous,” said Diana.
“And married life?”
“I highly recommend it,” she said, beaming.
“Have you cooked breakfast for your husband yet?”
“I don’t eat breakfasts.”
Charles looked bemused. “This must be very exciting television,” he said sarcastically. Diana lowered her eyes and smiled. Seconds later he kissed her hand, she laughed gaily, and the photographers grabbed their picture.
As the couple prepared to leave, one of the cameramen presented the Princess with a bouquet of flowers.
“Thank you. I suppose one of you puts them on his expense account,” she joked.
Two months later, on November 5, 1981, the Palace announced the Princess was pregnant. She tried to continue her royal engagements, but frequent bouts of morning sickness forced her to cancel. Her husband explained to reporters.
“You’ve all got wives, you know the problems…. It’s better not to do too many things…. After about three months, things are inclined to get better.” Then, sounding officious, he added, “I am prepared to take full responsibility.”
A few days later the Princess resumed her duties, but as she walked through crowds and accepted bouquets, she was hit by waves of nausea. She did not try to hide her discomfort. “This is terrible,” she said. “Nobody told me I would feel like this.” Seeing a pregnant woman in Derbyshire, she grabbed her hands in sympathy. “Oh, that morning sickness, isn’t it dreadful!”
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