| TV Review: The Prince of Wales - Up Close (ITV1) |
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| Written by Laura Burley | |
| Wednesday, 17 May 2006 | |
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Programme: The Prince of Wales: Up Close
Date of Broadcast: Tuesday 16th May 2006 Channel: ITV1  During
the past decade, much controversy and interest has focused on the
Prince of Wales, not because of the huge amount of work he has
done, be because of the often sensational stories surrounding his
private life.
However,
last
night British TV viewers were given a rare treat, a chance to see
Prince Charles at work, both in public and private, for the cause he
holds most dear: The
Prince's Trust.
Not that we weren't reminded of the most controversial aspect of his life: his failed marriage to Diana. Perhaps surprisingly to us Diana fans, the Princess featured not once but twice in the documentary, appearing alongside Charles in footage of fundraising Prince's Trust concerts which took place in the 1980s. With
the 30th anniversary upcoming, in my opinion it's about time that
people realised the extent to which the Trust has given thousands of
youngsters a new start in life, as well as a precious opportunity to
taste success. Time too, perhaps, for us all to focus on some of the
worthier aspects of the Prince's life
As
we saw in the documentary, in which the Prince allowed a camera crew to
document his life over the past year, Charles is involved at every
turn, showing a keen interest and knowledge of all aspects of the work
undertaken by his charity.
One of the delights of the job, it appeared, was the chance for the Prince to visit people who've received grants from the Trust, the heir to the throne clearly delighting in seeing just how far they've come in the intervening years.  The Prince spoke at length to former ITN newsreader Trevor McDonald about one man who was given a grant from the Prince's Trust to buy a camera so that he could set up his own art company. The recipient is now the head of a thriving business which has a turnover of around £10 million a year, with offices not just in London but also in California and New York. What more can you ask than that? Another success story are a British band, The Sterophonics. They were awarded a grant of £600 to buy speakers, essential so the band could perform concerts. Sadly, this vital piece of equipment was stolen but, once again, the Trust came to the rescue, awarding another £800 to lead singer Kelly Jones and his colleagues. The rest, as they say, is history, The Stereophonics going on to enjoy a chart topping career and worldwide fame.  Charles
is clearly passionate about The Prince's Trust — passionate about
helping young people
feel worthy and useful, and passionate too about spreading the word
about the charity which has, in the past three decades, helped over
half a million young people embark on new, often successful, careers
and lives. Through his Trust, Charles offers hope and encouragement to
those who need it most.
Even young people who embarked on the wrong road, one which culminated in a prison sentence, are given the opportunity to receive a grant to help turn around their lives. We heard the story of a man who spent time in jail for shoplifting. From despair came hope, the former prisoner now running his own company producing stairs. Had it not been for The Prince's Trust, it's possible he would have gone straight back into a life of crime and, ultimately, prison. The smile on the Prince's face throughout the interview showed just how proud he feels about the success of his Trust. I came away from the programme with the impression that this, perhaps above all else, is the one thing he feels to have been the greatest success in his life. As he gets older and sees all the wonderful schemes, trusts and programmes his Trust has helped set up, he likely realises that despite the almost constant sniping of the media and other cynics, he has left a legacy, one of which he can be truly proud.  Forget
the headlines about Charles talking to his plants, or his tendency to
put his foot in it on subjects such as architecture or GM foods.
The real Prince Charles — the one the media tends to ignore, opting instead to focus on his private life — has made a wonderful contribution to the youth of Britain. Here, at last, we saw the truth worth of the future King. Comment on this article
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