查理斯這份日記 "The Handover of Hong Kong or the Great Chinese Takeaway"，是他在出席香港回歸大典後搭飛機回國中途所寫。英國《星期日郵報》去年從查理斯的前副私人秘書博蘭處得到內容，並刊登了日記的摘要，查理斯控告該報違反保密法及侵犯版權，並要求該報歸還所得的文件。 然而，查理斯此舉弄巧反拙，法院認為日記有助了解案情，下令公開日記內容... 我和下屬坐商務艙 是帝國的終結吧… 官方代表的英航747包機由希斯魯機場出發到香港，我發現我和下屬的座位竟在通常屬於商務艙的上層。我過了一段時間才發現這兒並非頭等艙，儘管我已奇怪為什麼座位會這樣的不舒適。其後我發現其他人，包括前首相希思、前外相韓達德、外相郭偉邦、前港督如麥理浩、衛奕信及自由民主黨領袖阿什當，都舒服地坐在正位於我們下層的頭等艙。我自嘆道﹕「這就是帝國的終結吧……」 炎熱潮濕 6月到港可怕 6月要到香港這可怕想法一直纏繞?我，抵港後我最擔心的事發生了﹕氣溫高達華氏90多度，濕度肯定非常接近100％。流?微汗的港督在梯下迎接，送我到停泊在鄰近威爾斯親王大廈(添馬艦)的舊海軍基地的「不列顛尼亞」號，我應在80年代主持過這大廈的揭幕禮的(天曉得中國人現在將它改作什麼名字)。如常一樣，能踏入熟悉的氛圍總叫人高興，但這次卻帶?悲哀的心情，因為想到這將是「不列顛尼亞」號最後一次的海外訪問。 貝理雅和彭雪玲在船上逗留了一小時，短暫參觀，似乎留下了深刻的印象。如果他可以看到船上正在舉行的招待會和晚宴，聽到嘉賓的反應……但他們非常匆忙，所以永不能真正領會任何東西。這次他花了14小時飛到香港，在香港停留14小時，再花14小時飛回英國。 會展佈置如人民會堂 老蠟像人造風驚嚇 在香港的第一晚，我們在「不列顛尼亞」號吃晚餐，我坐在董建華——中國挑選接替彭定康的人旁邊。他是一位船務商人，我覺得他深不可測(inscrutable)但十分健談，他用安撫的口說，回歸後一切不變，並斷言中國政府希望向台灣人顯示，香港在「一國兩制」之下一切都好——目的是想誘台灣回歸祖國。 港貪污滋長法治削弱 所有當地人對未來短期都極樂觀，背後卻教人擔心，因貪污正逐漸滋長和香港的最強項——法治——亦正逐漸被削弱。解放軍令人擔心，因為士兵的軍餉差勁，假如他們發現一杯啤酒的價錢相當於他們一周的薪水，可能會禁不住引誘而騷擾或威脅市民。很明顯，在中國的解放軍涉及許多貪污行為，我們只能希望他們關在香港軍營內。 彭定康一家人來到船上，他們看來非常傷心和疲勞，他懷裏擁?從港督府帶走的英國國旗……之後一同去會場，那裏安排了隆重儀式——結果是在雨中進行。雨點輕輕打在地，所有東西濕透，我坐?的台上，紅地氈變成濕漉漉的一團糟。我們看了多項表演和聽了彭定康頗為感人、但沒向中國人展示過的演說。我哽咽欲泣…… 入房會見中方起爭拗 中方一直就儀式上的所有細節表示異議，還堅持我到房間見中國國家主席。但英方所有人都堅拒這樣做——結果雙方達成協議，我們各由不同入口進入房間，在房間的中央會面。中國國家主席和他的親信坐在我們——即首相、外相、國防大臣和我——的對面，然後讀出一份事先準備好的聲明。我知道我不能不回答，我不停在想，有什麼可以說而不會出事。我就莎士比亞說些打趣話(中國主席似乎很喜歡莎翁的作品)，之後我們前往新會展中心的主禮堂。 禮堂佈置成類似北京的人民大會堂，我發表演說後，中國國家主席接?起立，離開和他一起的一群駭人老蠟像走到講台前。他發表了一篇類似「政治宣傳」的演說，每到適當時候，支持者就大聲拍掌。在這場惡心的蘇式演說完結後，我們要看?中國士兵鵝步走到台上，降下英國旗和升起中國旗。終極驚嚇的還是令旗幟迷人飄揚的人造風。 我們已將香港交出 盼李柱銘不會被抓… 到這時，我們已將香港的命運交出，希望民主派領袖李柱銘在午夜示威時不會馬上被抓起吧……無論人們現在對殖民主義的看法如何，香港是推行殖民主義成功的典型例子。多得彭定康，我們離開時(港人的)愛戴和感激的話縈繞耳際。 告別香港 也許有益心靈 我們回到「不列顛尼亞」號，我跟?彭定康，碼頭有一群來送行的人、他的朋友和舊同事。我們上船與彭定康的女兒們會合，她們都很激動。船隻慢慢駛離港口，後面是負責護航的「查塔姆」號，有兩艘向天噴射水柱的消防船護送。我站在甲板上凝望逐漸遠去的香港地平線，對自己說，在同一年向香港及親愛的「不列顛尼亞」號告別，也許是有益心靈的事。也許。 我們在南中國海有飛機在側拱衛，當我們離開香港時，甚至都被一艘中國巡邏艇跟蹤。整個過程就可怕地像極了20年前我還在皇家海軍時遇見蘇聯軍隊的行為。 我只希望英國能透過頻密的海軍任務和調遣，維持在這地區的存在。我認為，我們應該盡可能加強及開發軍事技術，在今天市場經濟及全球化的環境下向外推廣。要放棄辛苦累積300年的(海軍)經驗及專業，實在極浪費及是一種悲劇。 Britain's Prince Charles blasted Chinese in HK handover In his journal of the handover, at which he represented his mother Queen Elizabeth II, heir-to-the-throne Charles allegedly described senior Chinese diplomats as "appalling old waxworks", The Mail on Sunday reported. [an error occurred while processing this directive] The remarks attributed to Charles could cause a diplomatic row with China just three days after Chinese President Hu Jintao completed a short state visit to Britain. Charles' Clarence House office are "seriously considering taking legal proceedings relating to the issue," a spokesman said, believing the material was accessed unlawfully. The Mail on Sunday said the text came into its possession "entirely legitimately". The prince allegedly described his horror at the "awful Soviet-style display" as Chinese troops "goose step" to "haul down the Union Jack and raise the Chinese flag" during a "ridiculous rigmarole". British Prime Minister Tony Blair also came in for criticism. The 3,000-word journal, entitled "The Handover of Hong Kong - or 'The Great Chinese Takeaway'" was circulated to a clutch of relatives, friends, political contacts and courtiers. The Mail on Sunday called it a "brilliantly witty but acerbic memoir". Hu was in Britain to deepen trade and economic links, despite protests from human rights activists. Charles was in the United States. Charles writes a detailed account in his own hand after returning from foreign trips, which were freely circulated in his office during the 1990s. Clarence House acknowleged the Hong Kong journal's authenticity and accepted its importance and historical interest, The Mail on Sunday said. The prince allegedly wrote: "After my speech, the president (then Jiang Zemin) detached himself from the group of appalling old waxworks who accompanied him and took his place at the lectern. "He then gave a kind of 'propaganda' speech which was loudly cheered by the bussed-in party faithful at the suitable moment in the text." He said the Chinese brought in a wind turbine to ensure that their newly-hoisted flags would "flutter enticingly", it continued. Charled worried that the Chinese army could intimidate local residents. "One can only hope they are confined to barracks in Hong Kong." Charles revealed his apparent frustration at the bureaucratic Chinese regime and his fear that the rule of law would be abandoned in the former colony. He also allegedly attacked the then new Prime Minister Blair for his use of advisers. "They then take decisions based on market research or focus groups, or the papers produced by political advisers, or civil servants, none of whom will have ever experienced what it is they are taking decisions about." There was some sympathy for Blair, who spent 14 hours each on the flight to the Far East, in Hong Kong, and then on the plane home. He was also witty about his own flight arrangements. Initially he was puzzled "as to why the seat seemed so uncomfortable" before discovering that he had been put in club class while political dignitaries had been seated in first class. "Such is the end of Empire," he mused.