Chas defiant on 'sex scandal'
PRINCE Charles remained defiant yesterday as a Royal “sex lies” scandal spread like wildfire on the internet.
Senior Royal aides said he had “nothing to fear and nothing to hide” as allegations about his involvement with a male servant were published for the first time.
But hours after Charles authorised his top aide to issue a statement denying he was involved in a compromising “incident”, an Italian newspaper printed the damaging claims.
And the story — which was also reported on Italian state TV — was being read on websites and discussed in net chatrooms all over the world.
Yesterday the Prince, 54, refused to answer questions about the story. As he arrived for a reception at the British ambassador’s residence in the Omani capital Muscat, The Sun asked if he had any comment.
The Prince, accompanied by ambassador Stuart Laing, did not react and looked straight ahead.
Royal author Ingrid Seward last night called the Prince’s statement “unprecedented” and said it was probably done to protect his sons.
She said: “There’s a limit to how many things you can say about someone that are really unpleasant and really untrue. These are also very hurtful to William and Harry, that’s what is at the back of this.”
The Italian paper, the top-selling Corriere della Sera, printed the name of the person alleged to have been involved with Charles.
It described the allegations as the “ticking timebomb under the throne”.
It also printed the sex claims strenuously denied by Prince Charles on Thursday in the sensational late-night statement from Clarence House. The Italian paper is not covered by injunctions imposed on British papers after allegations surfaced a week ago.
The Prince took the unusual step of admitting he was the senior member of the Royal Family said to be involved in an alleged incident — details of which have not been made public here.
His statement followed the naming of his former servant Michael Fawcett, 40, who had asked courts to keep his name secret. A second flunkey, George Smith, has been named as the person who made the claims to a newspaper.
Palace staff dismissed Smith as a “liar and alcoholic” who had made other claims found to be untrue.
One top Royal aide said Charles had nothing to fear if the allegation was made public. He said: “We have always said the allegations were nonsense.
“The Prince has nothing to fear. We have told the truth and gone on record as saying the allegations are rubbish. The Prince has nothing to hide.”
Royal sources said it was unlikely the Prince would sue if the allegations were printed in Britain.
Clarence House is anxiously waiting to see if the unprecedented statement by Charles is enough to prevent the allegations becoming widely known here.
The statement read: “There have been media reports concerning an allegation that a former Royal Household employee witnessed an incident some years ago involving a senior member of the Royal Family.
“The allegation was that the Prince of Wales was involved in the incident. This allegation is untrue. The incident which the former employee claims to have witnessed did not take place.”
The statement said the ex-servant had post-traumatic stress disorder and had been an alcoholic after serving in the Falklands.
Charles’s private secretary, Sir Michael Peat, said in a TV interview later: “It is rather unusual to make a statement about an unspecified allegation. However, even though I can’t refer to the specifics of the allegation, it is totally untrue.”
Charles tried to shrug off the scandal on his tour of the Gulf state of Oman.
During a tour of a restored 17th century fort, during which he peered down the barrel of a cannon, he appeared to make a cryptic reference to the intense media attention he is under.
As he walked towards a group of photographers on the castle ramparts, he said: “There is a lot of reflected heat round you.”
Mr Fawcett refused to comment on the scandal when he returned to his home in Hampton, West London, yesterday.
He told newsmen: “I would really appreciate it if you all went home. I will not answer any of your questions.”
From The Sun.