Usually with an Aries, what you see is what you get, and the innocent Ram is an open book. Straightforward and direct, Ariens know what they want and are clear about how they intend to get it. Mark Bolland, Prince Charles' Deputy Private Secretary, is not only an Aries (April 10 1966) but he also has Mars, the warrior planet, in this sign. Like all the fire signs, Aries individuals carry others along with their enthusiasm and energy, and they come across as warm, full of fun and plausible.

So how come Bolland is nicknamed Lord Blackadder? He has been accused of boosting Charles at the expense of the other Royals, but we shouldn't be too surprised at his role in the war of the palaces. Aries likes a fight and Mars has always been known as the "author of mischief". It is a provocative influence, compounded in Bolland's horoscope by many planets in mutable signs which make him ceaselessly active. He always needs to be on the move, and he may lack consistency and staying power.

But to get to the heart of Blackadder and the current PR crisis, we need to compare Bolland's horoscope to Charles' birthchart (November 14 1948). Charles is an intense and passionate Scorpio, with his Sun at 22 degrees of his sign. Scorpio puts power, sex and secrets at the top of its hidden agenda, and is well-known for its sting and for being a tad manipulative. Bolland has a cosmic connection right on this Scorpio point. His Neptune, the planet of image and illusion, sacrifice and redemption, is at 22 Scorpio, exactly on Charles' Sun. This symbolism encapsulates the search for a redeeming image (Neptune) of the would-be King (Sun).

But the Sun-Neptune combination is a two-edged sword. It gives a bond of idealism and camaraderie between the two men, so that "Neptune may stimulate the Sun's imagination and open up glamorous new insights that prove a source of great fascination". At the same time, "Neptune's capacity to weave creative fantasies may cause the Sun to have grave doubts about.. reliability and lack of really solid qualities". (Ronald C. Davison, Synastry).

Bolland's main task has been to gently massage public sensibility to the point of grudging acceptance of a Charles-Camilla wedding, and he has been remarkably successful so far. Last month he was voted PR Professional of the Year for bringing about "a massive sea-change in the relationship between Charles and the press", all of which sounds like a reference to Neptune, the old god of the sea.

However, Neptune's honours evaporate quickly, and since Bolland's Neptune is tangled in his horoscope with the unfortunate Dragon's Tail, there is a serious risk that the image of Charles created by Bolland could turn to scandal and leave the Prince feeling betrayed. Where there is illusion, disillusion follows. Whatever twists and turns this saga may take, one thing is certain: these are dangerous connections, and they are likely to end in tears for Charles.