Tampongate
Tampongate or Camillagate refers to the controversy over a 1989 telephone conversation between Charles, Prince of Wales (later King Charles III), and his then-lover, Camilla Parker Bowles (later Queen Camilla), which was published in the tabloid press in 1993.[1][2] The tape immediately damaged Charles's public image,[3] and the media vilified Parker Bowles for the breakdown of his marriage to Diana, Princess of Wales.[4] The publication of the tape came only a month after Charles and Diana's formal separation had been announced in the House of Commons.[5]
Background and context
[edit]The scandal was made public in the United Kingdom on 17 January 1993 by the Sunday People and the Sunday Mirror although by then Australian magazine New Idea and a German tabloid had reported on the matter.[6] The tapes were of a six-minute telephone conversation between the Prince of Wales and his then-mistress recorded on the evening of 18 December 1989,[7] while Camilla was at her home and Charles was at a friend's country house.[6]
In the conversation, which was recorded by a radio amateur who happened to detect the call using a high-tech scanning device, Charles and Camilla joked about the then-prince's wishes for an even closer relationship:[8]
Charles: Oh. God. I'll just live inside your trousers or something. It would be much easier!
Camilla: What are you going to turn into, a pair of knickers? Oh, You're your'e going to come back as a pair of knickers.
Charles: Or, God forbid a Tampax. Just my luck!
Camilla: You are a complete idiot. Oh, what a wonderful idea.
Charles: My luck to be chucked down the lavatory and go on and on forever swirling round on the top, never going down.
Camilla: Oh, Darling!
Charles: Until the next one comes through.
Camilla: Oh, perhaps you could come back as a box.
Charles: What sort of box?
Camilla: A box of Tampax, so you could just keep going.[9][10]
Reception
[edit]The general consensus following the publication of the tapes was that Charles had embarrassed the British royal family. According to Diana's bodyguard, Ken Wharfe, in his book, Guarding Diana: Protecting the Princess Around the World "The backlash was savage. Establishment figures normally loyal to the future King and country were appalled, and some questioned the Prince’s suitability to rule." Wharfe also stated that Diana was shocked by the scandal, which prompted her to repeatedly state "It's just sick".[8]
The publication of the conversation led William Rees-Mogg, editor of The Times, to suspect that MI5 could be behind the scandal. Shortly before, two other recordings of telephone conversations involving members of the royal family had appeared in the press: one between Diana and her lover James Gilbey (which became known as Squidgygate), and another between Prince Andrew and his wife Sarah, Duchess of York. Rees-Mogg stated:[6]
I think the three tapes mean that there had to be a deliberate surveillance of the Royal Family at that point. I think one has to ask whether it was done as part of the security screening, and whether what has happened is that the Royal Family were being taped as part of MI5's operation, and, in some way, these tapes were leaked.
The publication of the tape and its repercussions were featured in season 5 of the TV series The Crown.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ Brandreth 2007, p. 257.
- ^ a b Dockterman, Eliana (9 November 2022). "The True Story Behind Charles and Camilla's Phone Sex Leak on The Crown". Time. Archived from the original on 16 November 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
- ^ Brandreth 2007, p. 275.
- ^ Brandreth 2007, pp. 274–276.
- ^ John Major, Prime Minister (9 December 1992). "Prince And Princess Of Wales". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 215. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. col. 845. Archived from the original on 18 June 2023.
- ^ a b c Tuohy, William (14 January 1993). "'Camillagate' may keep Charles off throne. Britain: publication of recording of alleged affair raises questions about how long monarchy will last". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Carter, Claire (10 August 2017). "How the Camillagate tapes exposed the secret bedtime chat between Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles". The Mirror.
- ^ a b Martin, Laura (20 November 2020). "What Was the Tampongate Scandal and Why Isn't 'The Crown' Covering It". Esquire.
- ^ Graymalkin Media, ed. (3 October 2018). The Windsor knot: Charles, Camilla, and the legacy of Diana. ISBN 9781631682148.
- ^ Aggeler, Madeleine (13 May 2020). "Put "Tampongate" in The Crown, you cowards". The Cut.
Bibliography
[edit]- Brandreth, Gyles (2007). Charles and Camilla: Portrait of a Love Affair. Random House. ISBN 978-0-09-949087-6.