英國王儲查爾斯談繼位：年齡太大等不起

中國日報網 2012-11-28 09:01

Prince Charles helped to purchase Dumfries House and its priceless contents for 45million

Prince Charles, the longest-waiting heir to the throne in British history, has spoken of his 'impatience' to get things done.

Joking about the vigour with which he pursues his pet projects, he declared: 'Impatient? Me? What a thing to suggest! Yes, of course I am.'

He added: 'I'll run out of time soon. I shall have snuffed it if I'm not careful.'

Charles was speaking a few days before his 64th birthday during a visit to Dumfries House, a stately home in East Ayrshire he has helped save for the nation.

The comments, which were recorded for a film on the Clarence House website, were in the context of his involvement with Dumfries House.

But they will fuel speculation that the Prince is more eager than ever to take the throne.

In 2008, he became the longest-waiting heir in British history, overtaking his great-great grandfather Edward VII.

Courtiers insist Charles is fulfilled by his present role as one of the hardest-working members of the royal family, undertaking hundreds of charitable engagements a year.

But many royal commentators have suggested he feels frustrated his reign has not yet begun. With a history of longevity in his family – the Queen is 86 and in good health while the Queen Mother lived to 101 – Charles may have some time to wait until he succeeds his mother.

He has nothing but praise for the way the Queen has led her country for 60 years.

But he has previously hinted at his impatience with the long wait for succession. In 1992, when his then-brother-in-law Charles Spencer became Earl Spencer on the death of his father, Charles told him: 'You are fortunate enough to have succeeded to the title when still young.'

In 2004, after a Guards officer congratulated him on his 56th birthday, the Prince is reported to have said: 'I'm now at the age at which my grandfather died.'

Professor Robert Hazell, director of University College London's constitution unit, said Charles had to fit a unique job description.

'He is an age when most people are starting to contemplate retirement, yet he's not actually started the job he has spent his adult life preparing for. That is burdensome.'

Royal biographer Penny Junor said: 'He is impatient, but when he becomes king, his activities and all the projects he most enjoys where he can make a difference will be seriously curtailed.'

(Read by Brian Salter. Brian Salter is a journalist at the China Daily Website.)

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(Agencies)

英國史上等待繼位時間最長的王位繼承人查爾斯王子近日談到他已經“等不起”了。

在他談到自己推行寵物計劃的活力時，他開玩笑說：“迫不及待？我嗎？這說的什么話！是啊，我當然等不及了。”

他補充說：“我所剩的時間不多啦。也許一不小心，我就離開人世了。”

查爾斯在他64歲生日的前幾天拜訪鄧姆福瑞宮時說了這些話。鄧姆福瑞宮是東艾爾郡開放供參觀的豪華古宅，查爾斯王子也曾為保住這一英國古宅出了力。

查爾斯在為克拉倫斯王府網站錄制一部影片時說了這些話，當時他正在訪問鄧姆福瑞宮。

不過這些言論也引發了人們的猜想，認為查爾斯王子比以往更迫切地希望繼承王位。

2008年，查爾斯王子超過了他的曾曾祖父愛德華七世，成為英國史上等待繼位時間最長的王位繼承人。

英國朝臣堅稱查爾斯很滿足于他目前的角色，作為英國王室工作最努力的成員之一，他每年要參加數百個慈善活動。

不過許多王室評論員指出，查爾斯對至今尚未開始統治感到沮喪。因為他的家族有長壽史——女王現在86歲，依然身體健康，女王的母親活到了101歲——這意味著查爾斯要繼承母親的王位可能需要等很長時間。