102 Years ago, Prince Charles was born. In 2003 2 books have been released about this rather eccentric person. One of these books is a compilation of surprising anecdotes about Charles, written down by Michel Capon and told to him by people who worked for him on his domain Raversijde in Oostende, or other people who knew him from very close by. So……..not a dull biography, but simple stories, filled with Couleur Local, so even juicier.
"Prince Charles was disappointed about 2 things”, author Michel Capon tells. “First of all he was not allowed to marry the love of his live, Jacqueline Wehrli. His brother Leopold and mother Queen Elisabeth thought, the not-noble daughter of a pastry baker from Brussels was not good enough for the prince. Charles already had a daughter by Jacqueline, called Isabelle, and he wanted to adopt the child, but Leopold and Elisabeth also prevented this. Later Leopold married Lilian Baels, who was (just like Jacqueline) NOT noble. Ánd their children were given the title of prince. This hurted Charles enormously and it was the beginning of the fracture with the Royal Family.
Secondly Charles felt he was passed by. He had been prince regent during the very difficult years after the war, “saved the monarchy” so tells Capon. “He hoped he would become a sort of travelling ambassador for his country (just as prince Filip does now) after his regency. But this was denied to him, he was not needed anymore. Embittered he retrieved to his domain Raverijde, near Oostende. He was offered a donation of 4.000.000 francs a year, but he refused. “I’m not doing anything for the country. Then they must not pay me” his thinking was. Once, in a café, he criticized also the salaries for the rest of the Royal Family. Well, Charles did not need a salary; he inherited enough from his grandmother by mother’s side.
Clothing-pins
"A womaniser? That is exaggerated; Capon thinks, “The prince liked to see women. But he was an introverted person. He did not chase women, they chased hím. For his money and glory of course. His friends introduced him to these women, who tried to charm him. A few ones succeeded. Like Renée Damoiseau, a dancer from Brussels with who he had a relationship in the 60’s. Later he had an affair with a lady called Karine Vernooy.
"At this point the prince had a caravan installed on his domain Raversijde. While Karine was in the villa, he received Renée in the caravan. The ladies never knew about each other” Capon grins. “He told Vernooy he would inspect the domain. And after a while having spend time in the caravan he had an alarm clock tinkle, on what he told he expected a phone call and had to go back to the villa.”
Amongst the elderly people of Oostende, the stories about prince Charles are vivid, his visits to the café and other escapades. “He was a very pleasant man when he had been drinking. He even invented a game to be played in the café. For this one had to wear a hat made out of paper and one had to put clothing-pins on ones nose and ears. “
Charles gave his personnel large tips, from 500 until 1000 francs. But he checked them too. “When he was regent, he wrote down the kilometre reading from the cars of his personnel. And he would mark his whisky-bottles, to be sure that none would drink of it secretly. When he bought cherries, he counted them, so that the maid couldn’t eat one of them. It all had to be right. That’s why he refused the salary. That was not right.” Michel Capon knows
Michel Capon, 'Prins Karel, seigneur van Raversijde', uitg. The House Of Books, 176 blz., 14,90 euro.
