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His Royal Blog-ness: Prince Charles adds 'blogging' to his list of talents
Last updated at 23:52pm on 20.11.06
The Prince of Wales has added blogging to his list of talents and now has a video diary on his newly revamped website
It's the 21st Century cult that has spawned the careers of chart toppers Lily Allen and The Arctic Monkeys.
Now Prince Charles has latched onto the internet to broaden his appeal with his very own royal 'blog'.
Unfortunately, the prince's fly-on-the-wall video diary isn't quite as rock and roll those usually posted on the web, however.
Instead users are treated to footage of the heir-to-the-the-throne and his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, on a day-trip to Birmingham.
The film, catchily entitled 'Away Day: Tuesday 12th September 2006', opens with Charles sitting in his office at Highgrove, his Gloucestershire mansion, before heading off to inspect a variety of charity projects launched by his charity, The Prince's Trust.
Along the way he encounters England cricketers Sajid Mahmood, Vikram Solanki and Ashley Giles and regales then with hilarious tales of his own batting experiences in the West Indies while on a tour of duty with the Royal Navy.
Then it's on to the Birmingham Royal Ballet where the couple watch a recital in the school's new auditorium and Camilla agrees to become their new patron.
Finally the couple are seen arriving back at Highgrove - by helicopter, of course - before holding a charity drinks reception for their local hospice followed by another hour or so in the office catching up with paperwork.
After that, it's lights out - both for the Prince and his video camera.
The blog features on Charles's newly revamped website (www.princeofwales.gov.uk) whose home page is littered with glossy photographs of the prince, his wife and children.
Charles also uses the website to lay out his 'personal manifesto' , espousing his views on everything from health and 'responsible business' to faith and ethnic communities and farming.
On it he says he sees one of his roles as Prince of Wales to raise issues of national importance that might otherwise be overlooked.
Surprisingly given the criticism he has received in recent years for intervening in politically sensitive subjects, the web-site boldly states the Prince lobbys through 'meetings with Government Ministers and other people of influence, by giving speeches, writing articles and participating in television programmes'.
It adds: "The Prince's work aims to promote and protect what is good about Britain and its people. This will often involve The Prince acting personally as a catalyst to facilitate chance, to generate debate or to raise overlooked issues.
"In all these areas, the Prince aims to encourage a public debate over what he sees as vital issues to the health of the nation while avoiding party political issues.
"When issues become a matter for party political debate or the subject of Government police, The prince stops raising them publicly."
Earlier this year Charles's former aide, Mark Bolland, claimed the Prince views himself as a 'political dissident', bombarding senior ministers with memos on his views about everything from farming to the armed forces.
Camilla is something of a figure in her own right with a personal profile - minus, it has to be said, any mention of her previous marriage to Andrew Parker Bowles - and links to pages featuring her 'at work'.
There is also a segment on her interests featuring fascinating facts such as her passion for fishing, walking and gardening.
It also reveals that she has three horses stabled at Highgrove - Molly, Willie and Bearskin - and owns three Jack Russell terriers, Tosca, Rosie and Freddie.
A Clarence House spokesman refused to reveal how much has been spent re-designing the web-site, saying it was a private matter for the Prince who paid for it personally, although industry figures estimate it to be around £40,000.
"The last time it was updated was more than eight years ago, which made it quite archaic," the spokesman said.
"The Prince was very much involved in the project on a personal level and feels it is an important tool in explaining and publicising tdifferent aspects of his work.
"The video diary helps to make it even more accessible."
The web-site, which was re-designed by Soho-based company Reading Room and features a children's section with games and quizzes as well as a complete back catalogue of speeches the Prince has made over the past five decades, took four months to create.
Royal fans can also sign up for free email updates on everything from Princes William and Harry to Duchy Originals food products.
Dan Oliver, editor of dot.net magazine, welcomed the changes, saying: "It's about time that the site was updated as eight years is too long for a site of this nature to go without a makeover. "The Prince should be delighted with his new site, which is packed with great content, has a clean design and aesthetic."
ends
add to blog copy Rebecca English
Reader views (3)
Get real. What's to celebrate about a man who has been raised in the lap of luxury and is showered with deference and money just because he was born a particular family? The royals are a monstrous aberration of the UK's supposedly democratic society.
For many they are an important part of our culture and history. This can continue in a UK republic. What's important is removing the royals from their constitutional role and cutting the money and tax breaks they receive.
- Tom, London
I have always had a lot of time for Prince Charles. Whatever he says is worth listening to as it always well thought, sensible and lacking in the ‘spin’ so common these days. This website is easy on the eye, informative and very easy to navigate. Many large companies could learn a lot from it. They often seem to re-launch their sites making them ever more confusing to navigate and increasing frustrating. Well done, Sir!
- Michael, London
I've had a chance to visit the Prince of Wales' revamped website and I completely agree with dot.net magainzine editor Don Oliver's assessment of the website as being "packed with great content [and] having a clean design and aesthetic." The Prince of Wales, it seems to me, has carved out an incredibly important role for himself over his 58 years, not just in the UK but throughout the world, and I think the fact that his updated website makes the nature and the scope of his work more engaging and more comprehensible to the public is an incredibly good thing.
- Brian M. Malsberger, Arlington, Virginia, USA
