Boris Johnson plotted 'revenge' on King Charles over Rwanda row, new book reveals
Charles, preparing to represent the Queen was said to be frustrated and privately critical of Boris Johnson's plan
Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson reportedly sought “revenge” on King Charles after the then-Prince of Wales branded his controversial Rwanda migration plan “appalling,” a new book has claimed.
In Power and the Palace: The Inside Story of the Monarchy and 10 Downing Street, author Valentine Low reveals that tensions between the pair escalated in 2022 after Johnson announced plans to send asylum seekers who arrived illegally in the UK to Rwanda.
Charles, preparing to represent Queen Elizabeth II at the Commonwealth summit in Kigali, was said to be frustrated and privately critical of the scheme.
According to Low, Buckingham Palace feared the fallout, scrambling to manage the optics by arranging a photo of Charles and Johnson smiling and shaking hands ahead of the summit.
However, Johnson reportedly ensured Charles’ criticism still made headlines.
On the plane to Rwanda, Johnson told journalists he hoped others would “shed condescending attitudes towards Rwanda,” a thinly veiled jab at Charles.
Johnson’s former communications director, Guto Harri, confirmed it was “a dig at Charles, without mentioning Charles.”
Harri added: “Boris is not a man to let that go… he doesn’t get angry, but he gets even.”
The incident highlighted the delicate balance between the monarchy’s apolitical stance and political controversy.
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