英国王储查尔斯谈继位：年龄太大等不起

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.)

双语资讯

(Agencies)

英国史上等待继位时间最长的王位继承人查尔斯王子近日谈到他已经“等不起”了。

在他谈到自己推行宠物计划的活力时，他开玩笑说：“迫不及待？我吗？这说的什么话！是啊，我当然等不及了。”

他补充说：“我所剩的时间不多啦。也许一不小心，我就离开人世了。”

查尔斯在他64岁生日的前几天拜访邓姆福瑞宫时说了这些话。邓姆福瑞宫是东艾尔郡开放供参观的豪华古宅，查尔斯王子也曾为保住这一英国古宅出了力。

查尔斯在为克拉伦斯王府网站录制一部影片时说了这些话，当时他正在访问邓姆福瑞宫。

不过这些言论也引发了人们的猜想，认为查尔斯王子比以往更迫切地希望继承王位。

2008年，查尔斯王子超过了他的曾曾祖父爱德华七世，成为英国史上等待继位时间最长的王位继承人。

英国朝臣坚称查尔斯很满足于他目前的角色，作为英国王室工作最努力的成员之一，他每年要参加数百个慈善活动。

不过许多王室评论员指出，查尔斯对至今尚未开始统治感到沮丧。因为他的家族有长寿史——女王现在86岁，依然身体健康，女王的母亲活到了101岁——这意味着查尔斯要继承母亲的王位可能需要等很长时间。

对于女王60年来领导英国的方式，查尔斯只有赞美之词。

不过他先前也暗示了自己等待继位时间太久，已经不耐烦了。1992年，他当时的小叔子查尔斯•斯宾塞在父亲去世时继承了斯宾塞伯爵的封号，查尔斯王子告诉他说：“你够幸运的了，在你还年轻时就继承了这一头衔。”

2004年，一位禁卫军军官向56岁生日的查尔斯表示祝贺时，据报道查尔斯王子说道：“我现在这个年纪是我祖父去世的年龄。”

英国伦敦大学学院的宪法研究中心主任罗伯特•哈泽尔教授说，查尔斯需要一个独特的职位描述。

“在他的年龄，大多数人都已经开始考虑养老的事情，而他却还没有开始他成年后一直所预备做的工作。这挺恼人的。”

王室传记作家彭妮•朱诺说：“他是不耐烦了，不过当他成为国王时，他最喜欢从事以及他能发挥影响力的活动和所有项目都会被大大削减。”

Vocabulary:

snuff it: 死，断气

stately home: 开放供参观的豪华古宅

courtier: 朝臣

curtail: 削减