King Charles's "Hot Temper Flared" Amid a "Creeping Sloppiness" at Buckingham Palace Following Queen Elizabeth's Death, Per Royal Biographer
"It's being run like a hotel, and not a very good one."
When Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8, 2022, King Charles acceded the throne. Despite having prepared for this eventuality for his whole life, become King was likely a huge undertaking. And according to one royal biographer, King Charles's "hot temper flared" for an unexpected reason following his mother's death.
In the book The Windsor Legacy: A Royal Dynasty of Secrets, Scandal, and Survival, royal expert Robert Jobson revealed, "Some close to the Crown have grown uneasy over what they described as a creeping 'sloppiness' within the palace."
The biographer continued, "They highlighted shabby cover-ups that have rattled even seasoned courtiers. Whispers suggest The King has been ill-served by senior aides who have let standards slip since the passing of Queen Elizabeth."
King Charles was also reportedly keen to implement change within the Royal Family and at Buckingham Palace after taking over.
King Charles was keen to implement change at Buckingham Palace after taking over.
Per Jobson, "When he finally took the helm, he was surprised at the way Buckingham Palace was being run and demanded immediate change."
The biographer continued, "His action plan was met with pushback from the old guard of high-ranking courtiers and increasingly frustrated, he confided dismissively to friends about the palace, 'It's being run like a hotel, and not a very good one.'"
Unfortunately, the new King "felt thwarted at every turn" after taking the throne. "Enough was enough," Jobson noted. "Irritated by senior palace officials dragging their feet, his hot temper flared."
Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!
"When he finally took the helm, he was surprised at the way Buckingham Palace was being run..."
Following The King's outburst, "subtle changes followed," per Jobson.
Clearly, it took some time for King Charles to cultivate the atmosphere and work ethic he wanted instilled at Buckingham Palace.
Shop Royal Family Books
Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.