Book Review: After Diana-- William, Harry, Charles, and The Royal House of Windsor by Christopher Andersen

It was precisely because she was so little like their mother that Camilla seemed nonthreatening to William and Harry. She was like the furniture she favored, classic English shabby. As earthy as Diana was urbane, Camilla was happiest riding to the hounds, tromping through open fields, or digging in the dirt alongside her man at Highgrove. Her attitude toward child-rearing was as relaxed as Diana's was hands-on.

Living on this side of the pond, in the states, the Royals have never been a major interest for me. William and Harry have grown into fine, handsome, charming men and I do look on to what they are doing if I see something in a magazine but I do not search for information. Princess Diana, to me, seemed quiet and pretty but I never understood the obsession. That said, I watched her funereal and cried when Elton John sang his special version of “Candle in the Wind” in her memory. A tragic death for a young life. In After Diana, Christopher Andersen moves forward and back in time which adds to the elements of this biography. He dissects the aftermath of Diana’s death on her two sons, the Royal family, as well as her life. He thoroughly researched the affairs of both Diana and Prince Charles, as well as Diana’s unhappiness and emotional turmoil. His sources are those very close to the family. The book is not a page turner—I did not feel the need to engulf every page in one sitting-- but it succeeds with thorough research that provides the reader with an abundance of information.

Camilla. Everyone knows about her twenty-something year affair with Charles. But I did not realize that Prince Charles had many other women in and out of his life during his marriage. Andersen provides a complete depiction of “the most hated woman in England.” She’s much more complex than one might think and she also is down to earth and vastly different than Princess Diana. She even encouraged Charles to wed Diana.

A former reporter, Andersen has the inside track on the Royals. His sources are those close to the family. Topics covered include the moments after Diana died, the Royal reaction to her death, the boy’s relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles and Camilla’s eight-year plan to marry Prince Charles and make-over her image. It has been nearly impossible recently to avoid pictures or read snippets about Prince William and Kate Middleton or Chelsy Davy and Prince Harry. It is refreshing that Andersen chooses to portray the 20-something Princes as they are and not as people perceive them to be.

William. So handsome and sought after. So like his mother in looks and temperament. Andersen analyzes the tabloid coverage, his relationship with commoner [yet wealthy] Kate Middleton and William’s mother hopes that her sons "lead from the heart, not the head." Easier said than done as William is being groomed to be King. His younger brother Harry has had to prove himself a bit more. Harry Pot-head, Harry the Nazi etc. have all hit the tabloids. And then there’s the question of his paternity. He bears some resemblance [some might say more than that] to Diana’s former lover James Hewitt. Harry instead has a steady girlfriend, has trained in the military and founded a charity in the memory of his mother. Both boys have done extensive work in Africa. And it does not seem to be merely to garner some good press. The acts of Prince William and Prince Harry exemplify their giving hearts. Andersen discusses Diana’s accident and the official inquest that lasted nearly ten years. Many questions—she was not pregnant—are answered but the cause still lies cloaked in mystery. Her sons have learned from the tragedy and while they are still young 20-somethings who like to grab a pint and hang out with friends, they are also establishing their own legacies.

If you are looking for a great book about the Royals, this book provides the negative and positive and remains objective throughout. After Diana provides unbiased material which makes this a solid reference and informational source. Andersen writes multi-dimensional profiles of Princess Diana, Prince Charles, William, Harry and Camilla-- real people living Royal lives but also trying to do what they choose.