Prince Charles' household dubbed Wolf Hall because of infighting, says book

The Prince of Wales’ household is so riddled with backstabbing and in-fighting it is nicknamed Wolf Hall, a new book has revealed.

Bitter rivalries led to the collapse of a multimillion-pound deal to house all of the Prince’s charities under one roof, costing more than £100,000, the book claims.

Charles: The Heart of A King, by Time magazine journalist Catherine Mayer, paints a picture of Clarence House as a household torn apart by turf wars.

In the book, serialised in The Times, she writes: “One former householder refers to Clarence House as Wolf Hall, in reference to the treacherous and opportunistic world depicted by Hilary Mantel in her fictionalised account of the rise of Thomas Cromwell under Henry VIII.”

But the book claims that while Charles is dubbed “The Boss” by staff, he is insecure and identifies more with Baldrick, the downtrodden turnip-eating servant in Blackadder.

While many employees feel disillusioned and “oppressed” as they feel their jobs and responsibilities are being usurped by Charles’ aides, she claims.

She says “Charles hasn’t always chosen his sages wisely” and has appointed people who tell him what he wants to hear rather than the truth.

She added: “That factor, combined with his native insecurity, means he doesn’t always believe he’s earned the praise that comes his way, while criticism has the power to cast him into despair.”

Publishers say the book reveals “a man in sight of happiness yet still driven by anguish” with “passionate views that mean he will never be as remote and impartial as his mother”.

An illustration of the divided household came with the failed plan to house Charles’ many charities under one roof in redeveloped railways sheds at King’s Cross. Architects plans were drawn up, Mayer says, and an offer made on the property before the plan collapsed amid recriminations.

Mayer writes: “Sources say internal conflicts scuppered the scheme after it was already significantly advanced, wasting money instead of saving it.” The cost was between £100,000 and £200,000, the Times reported.