The book by Kondraty Birkin (P.P. Karataev), an almost forgotten Russian writer, offers readers a rare opportunity to feel the atmosphere of palace secrets, intrigues and scandals in Russia, England, Italy, France and other states in the period of the 16th–18th centuries. Karl , Prince of Wales, eldest son of King Charles I and his wife Henrietta of France, was born on May 29, 1630. With a charming face he resembled his mother, and in character he resembled his grandfather, the late King Henry IV. We don’t know which planets played the main roles in the newborn’s horoscope, but we are sure that the first place among them belonged to Venus... The star of the goddess of love, throughout the life of Charles II, was his guide, and he was her most zealous priest.