Anthony Holden dies: Journalist/author whose ‘Charles’ detailed royal marriage woes was 76

Anthony Holden, whose chronicles of the royal family’s troubles led him to once be called “Britain’s most malicious man”, died on October 7 at his home in London. He is 76 years old and has a brain tumor, his son Ben said.

Holden, a gossip columnist for the Sunday Times in London, wrote a biography of Prince Charles in 1979, which was well received even by the subject himself, who apparently agreed with the book’s claim that his job was not always easy .

Holden continued to work as a journalist, working as Washington correspondent for The Observer, managing editor for The Times of London and as a freelancer for other newspapers.

During this time he was a major source of commentary on the Royals. Based on this, he wrote some soft books, among others Their Royal Highnesses: The Prince and Princess of Wales (1981), A week in the life of the royal family (1983) and Anthony Holden’s Royal Quiz (1983).

In the late 1980s, his publisher asked him to write a second biography of the prince. This time he wrote in the book about the tension between Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales: KarelIn the book, published in 1988, Holden wrote that the prince “no longer understands her – or, it seems, even loves her very much” and suggested that Diana was bored with him.

A media frenzy ensued, and the palace condemned the book.

Holden went on to write the biography William Shakespeare: the man behind the genius, Laurence OlivierAnd Behind the Oscars: The Secret History of the Academy Awardswork among other things.

In addition to his son Ben, Holden is also survived by sons Sam and Joe; his stepchildren Ben and Siena Colegrave; four grandchildren; and a brother, Robin Holden. In 1990 he married the writer Cynthia Blake. Ten years later they separated, but not divorced.