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India still intrigues: Hindustan Times
London, Nov 09: Does it have to do with the nostalgia that still lingers in quite a few British about India, once called the Jewel in the Royal crown? The media has been full of pictures and details of functions Prince Charles attended during his nine-day trip to India.
London, Nov 09: Does it have to do with the nostalgia that still lingers in quite a few British about India, once called the Jewel in the Royal crown? The media has been full of pictures and details of functions Prince Charles attended during his nine-day trip to India.
His meetings with Aamir Khan, Mangal Pande of The Rising and dabbawallas and the two-day interaction with the former maharajas of Rajasthan betrayed the sneaking interest India holds for the people here, despite the demise of the Raj 56 years ago. Prince Charles would possibly remember the visit as a great escape from the daily dose of sordid exposures in the media here since Paul Burrell book A Royal Duty came out. Incidentally, over 78000 copies of the book sold in the first week. Only books by Hillary Clinton and David Beckham did better.
In fact, the deep interest in following his India trail helped Prince Charles get some nice write-ups amidst damaging exposures by Diana's former butler, Burrell and the rather morbid curiosity in the stay order taken ostensibly on the behest of the Palace officials against more secrets tumbling out of royal cupboards.
It has been indeed bad season for the Royals. Innuendos and speculations have been in a surfeit. It seemed at one stage that some kind of explosion was about to blow the foundation of the House of Windsor. It could have coincided with Guy Fawkes Day today (Nov 5).
Rumours had circulated that the details of what is now being called rape tape in the possession of Diana regarding a senior royal member having sex with a servant were about to come out. Another twist came with the report in the Mail that it had been gagged by an injunction taken out by a former Palace servant preventing the newspaper from publishing material obtained by it.
It was followed by a written demand from a senior Royal that there should be no publication of the story. The paper claimed to have conducted a lengthy interview with a second former Royal servant, a 3000-word account, supported by an affidavit. It was an unprecedented move, the first time a Royal servant had ever attempted to take out an injunction against a newspaper in this country.
The Mail said the story was of utmost public interest and that set off another spate of speculations. There is some sort of a bad patch casting shadow over the Royals, which fortuitously Prince Charles has escaped being far away. As they say it is Diana, she would not let them rest in peace, for she could not live in peace.
It is now said there are 20 more videos of Diana discussing her marriage breakdown that threaten to plunge the Royal family into yet another crisis. The television networks are also doing their bit in precipitating the crisis. Two channels have shown documentaries in which various questions were raised regarding the car crash in Paris. Doubts and hints suggested something more sinister that caused the accident. How long will this go on? No one has the answer.
A lull in such exposes and innuendoes is apparent now. Possibly the dark clouds would drift away by the time Prince Charles returns. The weather is at least holding. We are able to see the sun occasionally.
His meetings with Aamir Khan, Mangal Pande of The Rising and dabbawallas and the two-day interaction with the former maharajas of Rajasthan betrayed the sneaking interest India holds for the people here, despite the demise of the Raj 56 years ago. Prince Charles would possibly remember the visit as a great escape from the daily dose of sordid exposures in the media here since Paul Burrell book A Royal Duty came out. Incidentally, over 78000 copies of the book sold in the first week. Only books by Hillary Clinton and David Beckham did better.
In fact, the deep interest in following his India trail helped Prince Charles get some nice write-ups amidst damaging exposures by Diana's former butler, Burrell and the rather morbid curiosity in the stay order taken ostensibly on the behest of the Palace officials against more secrets tumbling out of royal cupboards.
It has been indeed bad season for the Royals. Innuendos and speculations have been in a surfeit. It seemed at one stage that some kind of explosion was about to blow the foundation of the House of Windsor. It could have coincided with Guy Fawkes Day today (Nov 5).
Rumours had circulated that the details of what is now being called rape tape in the possession of Diana regarding a senior royal member having sex with a servant were about to come out. Another twist came with the report in the Mail that it had been gagged by an injunction taken out by a former Palace servant preventing the newspaper from publishing material obtained by it.
It was followed by a written demand from a senior Royal that there should be no publication of the story. The paper claimed to have conducted a lengthy interview with a second former Royal servant, a 3000-word account, supported by an affidavit. It was an unprecedented move, the first time a Royal servant had ever attempted to take out an injunction against a newspaper in this country.
The Mail said the story was of utmost public interest and that set off another spate of speculations. There is some sort of a bad patch casting shadow over the Royals, which fortuitously Prince Charles has escaped being far away. As they say it is Diana, she would not let them rest in peace, for she could not live in peace.
It is now said there are 20 more videos of Diana discussing her marriage breakdown that threaten to plunge the Royal family into yet another crisis. The television networks are also doing their bit in precipitating the crisis. Two channels have shown documentaries in which various questions were raised regarding the car crash in Paris. Doubts and hints suggested something more sinister that caused the accident. How long will this go on? No one has the answer.
A lull in such exposes and innuendoes is apparent now. Possibly the dark clouds would drift away by the time Prince Charles returns. The weather is at least holding. We are able to see the sun occasionally.