King Charles's views on architecture in 1980s shed some light on his character – Laura Waddell

The future King Charles was known for his strong views on architecture in his younger years (Picture: Martin Keene/PA)

In the late 1980s, the then Prince of Wales made a BBC documentary about architecture. Wondering what it might tell me about his personality, I have in my hands the companion book, A Vision of Britain: A Personal View of Architecture.

The introduction gives an alternative forecast of the future king’s life. “I must confess to the reader right from the start my hesitation in putting pen to paper. It is not out of fear of venturing, yet again, into a territory positively bristling with porcupine-like professionals and cantankerous critics – although I humbly acknowledge my lack of academic credentials for the expedition. No, it is because I feel I would write so much more sense if I waited until I was very old, and, hopefully, correspondingly wise. Such hesitation, of course, is pointless. First of all I would probably fail to reach old age and a state of wisdom, having been felled in the prime of my life by a piece of rotting concrete descending from a post-modernist building.”

It’s curious to see the next-in-line to the throne pit himself and “fellow citizens” against “the developers, the architects, the planners and the politicians”, bemoaning that Britain’s 1980s city centres were developed out of balance. But there is praise, too. He describes Edinburgh as “in my estimation, the most beautiful city in Britain”. Of Glasgow, whose Princes Square and City Chambers he likes, he says tenements can make attractive homes, when not neglected by private landlords.

Lest you fear Charles is simply bored (his amateur watercolour paintings, dispersed throughout the book, do little to dispel that suspicion), “before I go any further I would just like to emphasise that my particular interest in architecture and the environment is not a result of my trying to find something to fill my day and then settling on this subject”. Indeed, in a clear pre-empting of criticism he is at pains to point out he is neither an architect, nor an academic, but an enthusiast.

I don’t disagree when he defends beauty and aestheticism, and calls for local communities to have greater input into the places they live, making use of local materials and craftspeople. But it’s no surprise the heir to a historic dynasty writes “when a man loses contact with the past he loses his soul".