2. Reading and Speaking

Charles, Prince of Wales

  • Ø What do you know about Prince Charles ?

Actual position, private life, public life …

  • Read the article. Answer the questions after each part.

         Part 1

  1. What gives you the impression that Charles is extrmely wealthy ?
  2. What happens to his stuff if they do well ? What bhappens if they don’t ?

           Part 2

  1. What is the routine when he entertains at Highgrove ?
  2. What is the private side of Prince Charles ?

         Part 3

  1. What are some of his public duties ?
  2. What good deeds does he do ?

         Part 4

  1. « Prince Charles has everthing ». What does he have ? What doesn’t have ?
  2. What is Duchy Originals ? What is happening to it ? What does it sell ?
  3. What title Camilla will have when Charles is King ?
  4. In what different ways is Charles referred to ?

Vocabulary work

  • Ø Which of theses adjectives are positive and which are negative ?

 

Hard-working   bad-tempered    soilt   eccentric   old-fashioned   sociable cautious passionate  frustrated  successful  well-intentioned

 

  • Give an example of Charles’ life or behaviour that illustrates that illustrates each adjective.

Discussion

  • What do you know about the attitude of British people to their royal family ?
  • What countries do you know that have a royal family ? Are the members of the family popular ? What do they do ?

 

The Life of a Hard Working- Man

Hiseccentric habits are known to the world, but the Prince of Wales has everyreason to feel content. A man withwideinterests and deep passions, heisfinallyhappilymarried. Daniella Kent reports.

P

rince Charles isoftenportrayed as bad-tempered and spoiled. There are srotiesthateverydayseveneggs are boiled for his breakfast sothathecanfind one thatiscookedjust the wayhelikesit. Histoothpasteissqueezed onto hishistoothbrush for him. And his bath towelisfolded over in a particularway for whenhegets out of his royal bath.

He has an enourmousprivatestaff─secretaries, pressofficers, four valets, twobutlers, housekeepers, two chefs, two chauffeurs, tengardeners, an army of porters, handymen, cleaners and maids. They are expected to geteverything right. When H R H (His Royal Highness) feelsthey have performedtheirdutieswell, theypraised in a royal memo. But if they have made mistakes, they are calledintohisstudy and told off. The prince cangetsoangrythathe has been known to have tantrums, throwingthings and screamingwith rage.

The private and public man

Charles iseccentric and headmitsit. He talks to trees and plants. He wants to savewildlife, but he loves hunting, shooting and, fishing. He dresses for dinner, even if he’seatingalone. He’s a great socialiser. Poets, artists, writers, broadcasters, politicians, actors, and singers all eat at his table. RRiving at Highgrove, hisfamily home, on a Saturday afternoon in time for a stiff Martini, guests are entertained in the hight of luxury. They are then sent on theirwaybeforeluch on Sunday, having been shownaroundhisbeatifullykeptgardens. The future monarchthatwedon’tseeis a man of great humour, who cares passionately the state of the British nation, and he’sdevoted to histwochildren, William and Harry. He’smadly in love withhis ‘darlingwife’, whichis how herefers to Camilla in public.

A dutiful life

Together Charles and Camilla performroyalduties, both at home and abroad. He attends over 500public engagements ayear. He visitshospitals, youth groups, performingartists, charities, and business conferences. He travelabroadextensively, as an ambassador to the UK, reprsentingtrade and industry. He works hard to promotegreaterunderstandingbetween religions. He’salsopresident of the Prince’sCharities, which are active in promotingeducation, business, the environment, the arts, and opportunities for young people.

Everythingexcept the top job

Since his second marriage, Charles has everything he wants except, as Diana (who was killed in a car accident in 1997) used to call it ‘the top job’. Yet despite not being on the throne he has worked hard to accomplish so much. He is concerned by the state of the country he loves and shows his frustration that governments do little to tackle those problems about which he feels so strongly. The Prince of Wales has his own food company, Dutchy Originals. It originally, but is now expanding to become one of Britains best-known and most successful organic brands, with over 200 different products , including food, drink, and hair and body care products. Charles, well-intentioned, hard-working, conservative and old-fashioned continues to do his duty as he sees it. But he’s no longer alone. One day he will be King and his darling Camilla will be HRH the Princess Consort.