For this study of the heir to the throne, Jonathan Dimbleby was given unprecedented access to his subject. As well as spending many hours in wide-ranging and candid conversation with Prince Charles, the author interviewed at length scores of people, including his personal staff and close friends, most of whom have never talked openly about the Prince before. He also drew freely from the Prince's own archives, including more than 10,000 letters, private journals and diaries, none of which had hitherto been made public. Based on this huge wealth of original material, this biography provides a vivid insight into the turbulent life of Prince Charles. He tells the full story of the Prince's childhood and upbringing, his adolescence and adulthood, analyzing the public role and illuminating the private man. Exploring beneath the tabloid headlines which have caricatured Prince Charles first as Action Man and then as The Loony Prince, the author reveals the full complexity of his personality. At this critical juncture in both the life of Prince Charles and the history of the Royal Family, Dimbleby covers Prince Charles' preparation for his role, his sense of purpose and duty, and his vision of the future role of the monarchy. He also explores his family relationships, his marriage to Princess Diana, his involvement with the upbringing of his sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, and the constitutional implications of the breakdown of his marriage.