Trusted Advisor? Doc Claims Prince Charles' Aide Sold Out Sons To Salvage Their Father's Reputation – Leaked Drug Stories To Media!
Feb. 20 2015, Published 11:17 a.m. ET
A controversial documentary makes the daring claim that Prince Charles' former advisor sold out his royal sons William and Harry to improve their father's sullied reputation.
The BBC documentary, titled Reinventing the Royals, claims that Charles' once trusted advisor Mark Bolland went to great lengths to save the Prince of Wales' tainted character.
The film alleges that Bolland planted stories in British tabloids, detailing Harry's "teenage drug use" and William's first meeting Charles' infamous girlfriend Camilla Parker Bowles.
Bolland is depicted as a pitiless schemer, willing to do anything to elevate Prince Charles following Princess Diana's tragic death.
Though Bolland called the documentary "utter rubbish," the accusations made against him come from reputable sources: Sandy Henney, Prince Charles' former press secretary, along with the reporters Bolland allegedly approached.
During the film, Henney even calls Bolland a "brilliant manipulator," adding that the prince had asked for Bolland's help after being criticized as a "bad father" and an "unloving husband." Diana's death had fueled anger against him and the prince was desperate to find a way into the people's good graces again.
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Regarding William and Harry, The Sun's former royal correspondent, Charles Rae, confirmed that "it was Mark Bolland" who leaked the information to him.
"William was justifiably and understandably really upset because it was really private," Henney recalled of the sensitive scandal. "Apart from obviously being angry and upset that this story got out, he said, well, ‘How had it happened?'"
Unfortunately, Bolland's brash behavior didn't stop there. His next target would be Prince Harry, the documentary claims, striking a deal with the News of the World in 2002 to leak that the young royal – 17 at the time – admitted to smoking marijuana.
According to the documentary, Bolland even set out to tarnish Diana's reputation – after her death.
Charles' knowledge of the whole ordeal remains a mystery, though many reports claim he was unaware of Bolland's deeds.
"Charles knew virtually nothing about media relations," royal correspondent Richard Kay shared in the documentary. "He tolerated the media, he didn't particularly like the media, so he really allowed himself to be used, if that's the right word, by Mark."