Prince Charles on the edge (So which one is he, AC or DC?)

News Of The World ^

[Happy2BMe]

EXCLUSIVE: Closest aide asked question about sexuality...He plans TV address and crisis talks

Charles on the edge

By Clive Goodman

PRINCE Charles flies back into Britain today—up to his neck in the most serious royal crisis since the death of Princess Diana.

He will be dumbstruck by the revelation that his closest aide— private secretary Sir Michael Peat—has raised shocking questions about his boss's sexuality.

It is understood Charles has already had a series of crunch conference calls with the Queen and Prince William from a secure phone line while on his official visit to Oman this week.

And last night the embattled royal was preparing to launch what Clarence House staff desribed as his "doomsday weapon"—a full-scale TV interview to defend his reputation if full details of the scandalous allegations sweeping the world are published in Britain.

Stunned

But all that was planned before the bombshell news about Sir Michael Peat.

He is the man who was seen by millions of television viewers on Thursday admitting that his boss Charles was the senior royal at the centre of lurid rumours flooding the internet and foreign press—but denying the alleged "incident" ever took place.

Sir Michael declared to the world: "Anyone who knows the Prince of Wales at all would appreciate that the allegation is totally ludicrous."

But in today's News of the World the prince's former deputy private secretary and press adviser Mark Bolland—pictured below, and now the man behind our cutting Black Adder column —writes his own assessment of the whole sorry saga.

And he reveals how he was stunned when Sir Michael posed the question over Charles's sexuality.

Bolland says: "I remember a year ago Michael Peat called me on holiday and asked, ‘Do you think the Prince of Wales is bisexual?'

"I told him that was emphatically NOT the case. It is astonishing that even he—a sensible and cautious man —had heard so much innuendo that he wanted to check the various allegations with as many people as possible."

It is understood that Sir Michael had the same conversation with others close to the prince, though there is no suggestion he gave the rumours any credence.

One friend told us: "There has never been any evidence that the prince is anything other than 100 per cent heterosexual."

Former aide Michael Colborne, who worked closely with the prince at Buckingham Palace for 10 years, said: "In all that time I travelled and worked with Charles his interest definitely lay with girls."

When quizzed last night about the "bisexual" query Sir Michael said: "I've never asked Mark any such question. Bisexual is a word I don't think I can ever remember using."

When asked if he'd ever discusssed Charles's sexuality using a different word, he replied: "I really don't want to discuss it. If Mark wants to put in any aspect of private conversations that I had with him he needs to speak to me about it. It's up to him and he'll have to live with the consequences."

Mr Bolland responded last night: "All I can say to Sir Michael is I know exactly when he asked me the question, where I was at the time and exactly what we said to each other."

The crisis blew up this week when former valet Michael Fawcett successfully gagged a newspaper from carrying sensational allegations by another ex-valet George Smith, said to centre on a "shocking incident" between a senior royal and a servant.

A High Court injunction prevents the publication in Britain of details of the claim. But yesterday's Times reported: "The valet Smith alleges that he saw the prince in a compromising position with another employee. It is not the first time Mr Smith has sought publicity for highly coloured tales of sexual incidents."

It was believed yesterday that the full content of the rumours will probably emerge first in Scotland.

As more and more details of the allegation and further speculation appeared on websites, a family friend told us: "The prince is aware that it is probably only a matter of time before all the ghastly details of this lie are dragged out into the light."

And last night it became clear that a series of video tapes spelling out every jot and dot of the claims will he entered as evidence in a High Court hearing. Scotland Yard on Friday made an application for a judicial ruling on ownership of the tapes—recorded by Princess Diana with her voice coach Peter Settelen.

One of the videos is said to show Diana pouring her heart out over her unhappy marriage. The recordings are believed to contain some of the princess's darkest secrets.

In another section she is said to discuss her dismay at Prince Charles's "unhealthy" relationship with his then valet Michael Fawcett.

And Diana is understood to go into graphic detail about the alleged "incident" that forced Charles's unprecedented denial on Thursday.

The current injunction would not prevent the 20 tapes being played in open court as Settelen battles Diana's estate, run by her sister Sarah McCorquodale, for ownership.

Charles is said to be "bewildered and dismayed" at the prospect. An insider told us: "It will be a very hard knock for the prince. He has fought so hard to keep it all at bay."

This devastating twist will ruin any attempt to draw a line under the scandal. Another friend said: "It's a nightmare for him.

All he wants is for it to stop." After Charles's crisis phone talks with the Queen and son William, a family pal told us: "They are resigned to it all coming out eventually."

Wishes

And yesterday former Buckingham Palace press chief Charles Anson revealed that the prince had his mother's full backing. "I certainly know that she was consulted about Thursday's statement and supports it," he said.

Now the prince is preparing his major PR onslaught—his doomsday weapon to win back the public's hearts.

One senior aide explained: "Charles's first instinct this week was to give an interview himself, spelling out all the details and saying why they were wrong. But there is someone else involved who is not a public figure and their wishes had to be respected."

Yesterday the prince demonstrated how much he relies on his servants— demanding an aide remove his shoes before a Muslim meal in Oman.

Meanwhile at home former valet Michael Fawcett was counting the cost of his High Court legal actions to gag the story about him.

As Mark Bolland revealed how Charles's former private secretary Richard Aylard had plotted to get the favoured aide out of the palace, an insider said: "Michael's in quite a bad way financially. When he was on the prince's staff, his legal costs would have been met.

"The prince doesn't think that's appropriate any longer. It's a bitter pill for Michael to swallow. He's pretty low.

"He feels very angry and let down by someone he helped when they were both friends."

[Happy2BMe]

No wonder Lady Dianne quit going places with him in public.

[Happy2BMe]

PRINCE CHARLES: Royals in crisis

Tale of the tape

1995 The News of the World reveals that Prince Charles's under-valet George Smith told Princess Diana he had been raped by one of his boss's gay servants. He was afraid to tell police because the rapist was "too powerful". Courtiers say Charles and Diana are helping Smith with treatment for mental problems.

1996 Diana makes a tape recording of Smith's allegation. During the interview he makes a further shocking claim about an incident involving Prince Charles and a servant. St James's Palace investigates the rape claim but finds no evidence to call in police. Details of the rape tape emerge through friends of Diana.

NOV 2000 Police arrest Diana's former butler Harold Brown over allegations of theft from Kensington Palace. The charges are later dropped. The existence of the rape tape becomes more widely known among royal reporters and others and there is renewed speculation about exactly what it contains.

JAN 2001 Diana's one-time "rock", butler Paul Burrell, is arrested on charges of theft from her palace apartment. He gives detectives full details of the rape tape but denies he has it. The box in which it was kept by Diana cannot be found. Police investigate rape claim but do not find sufficient evidence.

NOV 2002 The Burrell trial is abandoned before he can give evidence about the secret rape tape from the Old Bailey dock. George Smith goes public with his sex assault claims—and hints at a "shocking incident" involving a royal and a servant. Legal reasons prevent full disclosure of his claims.

MAR 2003 Investigation into Charles's office, set up after the Burrell trial fiasco, is highly critical of the way the prince allowed the rape allegation to be handled. Smith then goes public again to condemn the inquiry by Sir Michael Peat, saying it had failed to deal with his claims properly.

OCT 2003 During interviews to promote his book, Burrell claims Diana told him the contents of the tape, but he doesn't know where it is. He says: "Whatever is on the tape I will never tell anyone." Smith again hints at the bombshell about a senior royal and a servant.

1 NOV 2003 Prince Charles's one-time closest aide, Michael Fawcett, obtains an injunction against a newspaper banning an unnamed aide from telling his story. Reports of the court ban spark off speculation which immediately goes right around the world on the internet.

3 NOV 2003 Fawcett's legal team injuncts another newspaper planning to name him as the servant who obtained the original injunction. This serves only to fuel the worldwide controversy surrounding the affair and increases pressure on Charles and his aides to issue a statement.

6 NOV 2003 The second injunction is successfully challenged and lifted. Fawcett is now identified as the man behind the gagging orders. Charles's most senior aide, private secretary Sir Michael Peat, goes public, identifying the prince as the top royal involved in the alleged "incident"—but denying it ever happened.

7 NOV 2003 Despite the standing injunction, details of the "incident" are published worldwide on the Internet and in foreign newspapers. Prince Charles holds crisis talks with both Prince William and the Queen and prepares to release his doomsday weapon, a revealing TV interview.

[joesnuffy]

No wonder Lady Dianne quit going places with him in public.

Dianne has been effectively silenced

[gingerky]

(Yesterday the prince demonstrated how much he relies on his servants— demanding an aide remove his shoes before a Muslim meal in Oman.)

Did the prince have the servant remove the prince's shoes or the servant's own shoes? I'm reading it as the prince making the servant remove the prince's shoes - pathetic.

[CatoRenasci]

If Charles Windsor (nee Saxe-Coeburg-Gotha) has any concern for Britain, or for the monarchy beyond himself, he will remove himself from the succession to the throne in favor of his son William, let William become Prince of Wales, accept a royal Dukedom, and retire from public life altogether.

Otherwise, the Germans whom Anne Stuart agreed would succeed her in the Act of Settlement (1701) are through. I'm not sure there is any family with royal blood in England commanding sufficient respect to save the monarchy in that event.

[Salman]

Is the scandal that he's gay, or that he did it with a servant?

[Hatteras]

Well, she knew something...

heh, heh, heh...

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

I was confused at the wording too. Did the servant take off his own shoes? Did the servant take off Charles' shoes? Did Charles take off the servant's shoes? If the servant took off Charles shoes...gads...at Charles' age, he still can't put and take off his own shoes?

[Happy2BMe]

"Is the scandal that he's gay, or that he did it with a servant?"

It's about what dishwashing detergent the maid used and whether or not the dog pooped on the yard.

[Savage Beast]

But why? These Germans are not any worse than their predecessors--not as bad as some. Elizabeth II has been a fine monarch and has set an impeccable example. Prince William certainly has ample promise, expecially if he can bring the positive qualities of his mother to the monarchy. And even if the worse inuendos about Charles should be true, embarrassing as they would be, it's doubtful that they would prove more than an inconvenience to the perduring British monarchy.

[Happy2BMe]

"I'm reading it as the prince making the servant remove the prince's shoes - pathetic."

Now that's royal ain't it . . .

ROYAL TRASH!

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

took = take

[The Iguana]

I get the feeling the succession would do well to skip Prince Charles.

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

If Charles Windsor (nee Saxe-Coeburg-Gotha) has any concern for Britain, or for the monarchy beyond himself, he will remove himself from the succession to the throne...

How can he "remove" himself from the throne if he dosen't know how to remove his own shoes, if it were his own shoes he couldn't remove?

[Happy2BMe]

"I get the feeling the succession would do well to skip Prince Charles."

If you look back on the history of the "Royal Family" you will see a long list of murderers, rapists, adulterers, and other such misfits.

Charles is just following family tradition, that's all.

[CrazyIvan]

This shows the basic difference between Americans and royalty worshipping people. I remember as a child one of my favorite stories of Lincoln was when a reporter interviewed him while he was shining his boots. The reporter asked if he shined his own boots. "Who's boots did you think they were?" he replied.

[CatoRenasci]

The reason is that there is already substantial anti-monarchal sentiment in Britain, and most of what monarchal sentiment there is focuses on Elizabeth II and nostalgia for her parents, George VI and Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Liz's sister Meg gave everyone fits. No one in Britain has much use or respect for Charles or his siblings, and whatever hope there is in the family is on Dianna Spencer's children. The Spencers are none-too-stable, but they have decent instincts.

I am simply not so sanguine as you are that the British will tolerate Charles as King. Neither of the previous Chareles' had distinguished reigns, so it is an unlucky name.

[isthisnickcool]

Exclusive photo of Prince Charles having "same sex". WARNING! GRAPHIC CONTENT!

[OldFriend]

The hysterical reaction to this story certainly seems over the top.

[Hildy]

If anything, Lady Di TURNED him gay. She seems to have that effect on people. Oh go ahead...flame away..