King Charles accused of 'rewriting history' as Butler’s biography raises questions

Buckingham Palace has come under renewed scrutiny amid claims that King Charles III continues a long-standing pattern of managing his image through "affectionate" royal biographies.

Commentators argue that the King has a habit of quietly signing off on glowing portrayals whenever controversy brews whether over criticism of his perceived weakness, his public support of Islam during religious holidays, or frustrations over palace indecision.

A new book, The Royal Butler by Grant Harrold, is the latest work to face questions over its credibility.

Harrold, a former butler to Charles and Camilla at Highgrove, previously launched legal action against the then Prince Charles after what he described as bullying within the royal household.

The case was bitterly contested, with palace officials branding him “too dangerous” to work with the royals, before a sudden out-of-court settlement was reached in 2012.

The Daily Mail reported at the time that the royal household expressed “regret for the distress caused” to Harrold an extraordinary turnaround after initially vowing to “fight tooth and nail.” 

Some now suspect the settlement may have included an unwritten understanding, play down the past in exchange for financial closure.

Royal watchers note that Harrold’s upcoming biography paints Charles in far warmer tones than their previous court battle would suggest, raising speculation of a carefully orchestrated “stitch-up.”

Critics point out that the palace has often used aggressive media tactics to discredit insiders who challenge it, citing the case of Elaine Day, a former royal secretary who also pursued legal action against Charles’s office. 

In his case, medical records presented at the time showed he suffered from phobic anxiety and depersonalization syndrome evidence, he argued, of the toll taken by palace bullying.

Now, more than a decade later, the same former butler once cast out as a threat is publishing what some fear could be another carefully stage-managed royal narrative.

“Call me cynical,” one commentator remarked, “but it looks less like reconciliation and more like protection. Harrold knows far too much to ever be completely silenced.”