Is it known whether or not Prince Charles was a 'lonely' child, and/or who's his closest friend?

Question

[ACCORDING TO ALL THE BOOKS WRITTEN SO FAR ON THE DUDE]

Answer 1

I unerstand that Prince Charles was very unhappy at school, he was sent to cheam, and then to Gordenstoun, where he was bullied and miserable.  He wrote to his parents begging them to let him come home, but they never did.  I suppose they thought he needed toughening up or something, but it seems very sad.  He doesn't seem to have had any friends at all of his own age.  In 'On Royalty' Jeremy Paxman says:

'Eric Anderson, who was one of the few teachers at Gordonstoun with whom Charles developed a good relationship (he produced the school plays in which the prince acted with some ability), confirms how unhappy he was. "I have no idea why they sent him there.  of course, it wasn't helped by the fact that he was very shy.  It was noticeable that Chaarles was really only friendly with the art master, and with Poppy (Anderson's wife) and myself.  Friendship with adults is usually a sign of troulbe in a boy." '

Answer 2

Why don't you contact him via the royal web page?

Answer 3

In 1994, The Prince of Wales: A Biography was written by Jonathan Dimbleby.  This book was supposed to have the support & insight provided by people close to the Prince.  

Dimbleby also wrote and presented a television documentary on the Prince of Wales entitled Charles, The Private Man, the Public Role.

Answer 4

mannequins

Answer 5

Charles did indeed have a lonely childhood.  After his mother ascended the throne, when he was only 4, his parents travelled often for lengthy periods of time to Commonweath countries, so he saw very little of them.  There is a newsclip often shown that shows his parents returning from a several-months overseas visit and actually shows his mother shaking hands with him on her return.  He did not have the affection from his mother that Diana gave her children.  His father, Philip, was also said to be a strict disciplinarian, coming from a military background.  As a young child, it is said he spent considerable time with his grandmother, the Queen Mother, and grew very close to her.

His early school years were difficult as well.  Sent away to his father's boarding school in a desolate area of Scotland, he felt isolated and lonely.  Always shy, this just made him withdraw more and he had very little interaction with his schoolmates.  A teenage prince back in the 60s was not the same as William and Harry are today.  They seem to have friends, go out to clubs (perhaps too much!) and do fairly normal things, but when Charles was a teenager and was caught having a drink (underage) in a club, it was unbelievably sensationalized.  As he got older, and entered university, he seemed to become more comfortable with himself and got involved in college activities, plays, etc., and seemed to come out of his shell a bit.

As far as friends, he has a set of upper class friends he has had for years.  Several years ago, among his closest friends were Lord Romsey (and his wife, Penelope), who is a distant Mountbatten relative.  His friends tend to be from the polo-playing social crowd, all with their estates in the country.