Holden, Anthony (King Charles III)

Prince Charles: A Biography

New York, NY: Atheneum, 1979. First Edition. Hardcover. “Crowns do queer things to the heads beneath them.” George R.R. Martin, “Clash Of Kings”. English writer, critic, and acclaimed biographer of Shakespeare, Tchaikovsky, and the Royal Family, Anthony Holden, presents here an in-depth and well realized biography of King Charles III, formerly the Prince of Wales. Written in ‘79, “Prince Charles: A Biography” chronicled the life of the then prince, focusing mainly on his early life up until his college years. Born in 1948 to the late Queen Elizabeth II (April 21, 1926–September 8, 2022), Charles was the longest serving monarch-in-waiting in British history, was the husband to the late Princess Diana Francis Spencer until her untimely death in 1997, and as of this curation (2023) is the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom. Holden’s biography serves to cleanse the mystique from Charles as royalty, to show the man beneath the veneer. Often immature, lonely, confused, and overall complex, Charles is presented in a raw and intimate way. Holden does away with formality and rather goes for the jugular of truth, with each bloody morsel of humanity dripping onto the page, Holden manages to paint a visceral portrait of the man's life. From talks with those that knew him best, to conversation and time spent with the man himself, Holden confines the prince-now-king’s formative years into a tightly packed, well written biography that is at once respectful, and yet pulls no punches. Hardcover; first edition, first printing though neither are explicated as such at the copyright page. Book is in very fine condition with minor wear to fine edges, and some light discoloration/staining to front and back plates as well as spine; dust-jacket is in very fine condition with some smudging to front and back covers, wear to fine edges, and discoloration due to age. Very Fine / Very Fine. [Item #5569]

Price: $30.00