Charles’s ex-press secretary says royal did adore Diana

Prince Charles’ former press secretary said the Prince and Diana really were ‘besotted’ with one another and that he will be ‘the best-prepared monarch we’ve ever had’.

Jumping to the defence of Charles amid a reported slump in the prince’s popularity, Dickie Arbiter said the nation must learn to cherish the future King. 

The royal commentator was responding to a recent YouGov poll which found Charles’ popularity had plummeted.

‘For years now, Prince Charles has been portrayed as the bad boy of the Royal Family: having an affair, portrayed as never really having loved Diana and singled out to blame for the disintegration of their marriage,’ Mr Arbiter wrote in The Telegraph.

The royal commentator (right) was responding to a recent YouGov poll which found Charles’ popularity had plummeted.

Charles' former press secretary Dickie Arbiter (pictured) said the nation must learn to cherish the future King

Charles’ former press secretary Dickie Arbiter (pictured) said the nation must learn to cherish the future King

The former LBC presenter recalled meeting with Charles and Diana at Buckingham Palace, during which he he says the pair were utterly besotted with each other; holding hands and giggling together.

He also hailed an ‘extremely good father’, despite Diana being widely praised for Prince William and Harry’s upbringing. 

Mr Arbiter wrote that he was at the palace when the Princess of Wales died, while the two young princes were away with their father at Balmoral with their father, the Queen and Prince Philip. 

Diana, Princess of Wales and Prince Charles emerge from St. Paul's Cathedral after their wedding July 29, 1981

Charles is pictured with Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall on a visit to Canada last month

The former LBC presenter recalled meeting with Charles and Diana at Buckingham Palace, during which he he says the pair were utterly besotted with each other. Charles is pictured left with Diana on their wedding day and right with Camilla Duchess of Cornwall on a visit to Canada last month 

Mr Arbiter also hailed an 'extremely good father', despite Diana being widely praised for Prince William and Harry's upbringing

Mr Arbiter also hailed an ‘extremely good father’, despite Diana being widely praised for Prince William and Harry’s upbringing

The family was castigated for being away from London at the time, but the press secretary said Charles did right by his children and showed excellent parenting.

Moving pictures from September 1997 show Prince Charles and his sons holding hands as they see floral tributes to Diana, left by the public. 

And the young princes have long battled the illegal wildlife trade in Africa, as Charles did before them. 

The family was castigated for being away from London at the time, but the press secretary said Charles did right by his children and showed excellent parenting

The family was castigated for being away from London at the time, but the press secretary said Charles did right by his children and showed excellent parenting

The Prince of Wales, wait as the hearse carrying the coffin of Diana, Princess of Wales prepares to leave Westminster Abbey following her funeral service

Prince Harry holds onto his father's hand when they stopped outside the gates to Balmoral Castle to look at the floral tributes

Moving pictures from September 1997 show Prince Charles and his sons during Diana’s funeral. Right: Prince Harry holds onto his father’s hand when they stopped outside the gates to Balmoral Castle to look at the floral tributes

A sea of floral tributes to Princess Diana adorned the grounds outside of Kensington Palace on September 10 1997 

A sea of floral tributes to Princess Diana adorned the grounds outside of Kensington Palace on September 10 1997 

Mr Arbiter wrote that William and Harry’s compassion and awareness of the world around them comes from their father. 

‘While Charles doesn’t wear his heart on his sleeve – he was brought up to keep certain things private – his sense of humour is clear.’

During a recent trip to Canada, where the Prince and Camilla listened to a performance by Inuit throat singers, the pair giggle uncontrollably. 

'While Charles doesn't wear his heart on his sleeve - he was brought up to keep certain things private - his sense of humour is clear,' Mr Arbiter added

‘While Charles doesn’t wear his heart on his sleeve – he was brought up to keep certain things private – his sense of humour is clear,’ Mr Arbiter added

The future king shook hands and even hugged the devastated families around him following the Grenfell tragedy

The Prince of Wales meets local residents during a visit to the Westway Sports Centre which is acting as a relief centre for those who have been made affected by the Grenfell Tower disaster in west London.

The future king shook hands and even hugged the devastated families around him following the Grenfell tragedy 

The royal commentator said Charles has never shied away from the public eye — visiting victims of the Grenfell Tower tragedy and listening to them intently. 

The future king shook hands and even hugged the devastated families around him.  

Hi down-to-earth and compassionate view of the world around him will make Charles a ‘great king’, concluded Mr Arbiter. 

He added: ‘Charles has been in training for 60-odd years, and the Queen has been grooming him for his very public role ever since he left the Navy in 1976. It is time we learnt to cherish him.’  

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