Yahoo – AFP,
26 March 2015
 |
Britain’s
Prince Charles speaks at the 2015 US Congressional International
Conservation
Gala at the Andrew Mellon Auditorium in Washington on March 19,
2015 (AFP
Photo/Andrew Harnik)
|
London
(AFP) - Britain's top court on Thursday ruled that secret letters from Prince
Charles to government ministries should be published, in a potential setback
for the monarchy seen as a victory for media freedoms.
"The
Supreme Court dismisses the attorney general's appeal," read the ruling,
after the government went to court to prevent the publication of secret letters
believed to show Charles interfering in politics.
The ruling
was immediately praised by the Guardian newspaper, which had brought the case
to court, but criticised by the prince's official residence, Clarence House,
and Prime Minister David Cameron.
"Clarence
House is disappointed the principle of privacy has not been upheld," a
spokesman said.
 |
The ruling
was immediately praised by
the Guardian newspaper, which had
brought the case
to court, but
criticised by the prince's official residence,
Clarence House,
and Prime Minister David
Cameron (AFP Photo/Ben Stansall)
|
The letters
were sent to seven government departments and the previous attorney general,
who stopped their publication on the basis that they reflected the prince's
"most deeply held personal views and beliefs".
There is concern
that their publication could harm the royal family's image of political
neutrality in a country where the monarch "reigns but does not rule".
Guardian
editor Alan Rusbridger hailed the ruling as the result of a "brilliant
10-year campaign" to ensure the letters were made public.
"Guardian
wins," he wrote on Twitter.
In a
statement, Rusbridger said: "This is a good day for transparency in
government and shows how essential it is to have a fully independent judiciary
and free press."
The letters
have been dubbed the "Black Spider Memos" due to Charles's spiky
handwriting.
No date has
been fixed for their publication, although the BBC reported that the government
now has 30 days to release them.
"This
is a disappointing judgement and we will now consider how to release these
letters," Prime Minister David Cameron said in a statement.
"This
is about the principle that senior members of the royal family are able to
express their views to government confidentially. I think most people would
agree this is fair enough," he said.
Change in
public perception?
The
government had vetoed the release of the letters under Freedom of Information
laws, but this has now been struck down by the courts.
Cameron
said the government would consider amending the law for future cases, although
that cannot happen before elections in May as parliament's last day before the
vote was on Thursday.
"If
the legislation does not make parliament's intentions for the veto clear
enough, then we will need to make it clearer," Cameron said.
A new
biography of Charles last year reignited debate about whether he is fit to
become king.
Catherine
Mayer's "Charles: The Heart of a King" portrays a royal household
riven with infighting, and an heir to the throne uncomfortable with the distant
impartiality that has been the hallmark of his mother Queen Elizabeth II's
reign.
The
66-year-old Prince of Wales, Queen Elizabeth's eldest son, has spent a lifetime
in preparation for the throne.
But he has
also carved out a distinct and highly visible role for himself in public life
by wading into topics that interest him.
Graham
Smith, head of Republic, a campaign for an elected head of state, told the
Guardian that the publication of the memos "will change the public
perception of the monarchy as apolitical and harmless, to being a serious
political force."
Related Article:
"Recalibration of Free Choice"– Mar 3, 2012 (Kryon Channelling by Lee Carroll) - (Subjects: (Old) Souls, Midpoint on 21-12-2012, Shift of Human Consciousness, Black & White vs. Color, 1 - Spirituality (Religions) shifting, Loose a Pope “soon”, 2 - Humans will change react to drama, 3 - Civilizations/Population on Earth, 4 - Alternate energy sources (Geothermal, Tidal (Paddle wheels), Wind), 5 – Financials Institutes/concepts will change (Integrity – Ethical) , 6 - News/Media/TV to change, 7 – Big Pharmaceutical company will collapse “soon”, (Keep people sick), (Integrity – Ethical) 8 – Wars will be over on Earth, Global Unity, … etc.) - (Text version)
“…5 - Integrity That May Surprise…
The Unthinkable… Politics, A Review
Humans will begin to search for integrity and fairness and it's going to happen in the places you never expect. I said this last week, so this is a review. There'll come a time when you will demand this of your politics - fairness and integrity. So when the candidates start calling each other names, you will turn your back on them and they won't get any votes. They're going to get the point real fast, don't you think? How about that?
Let me give you another potential. This country that I sit in right now [USA] will set the mold for that particular attribute. I have no clock. Watch for the youngsters to set this in motion, and they will, for they are the voters of tomorrow and they do not want the energy of today. To some of them, it's so abominable they won't even register to vote in this energy. You're going to see this soon. That was number five.. ..."
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