In a forceful statement, the likes of which are rarely seen, Buckingham Palace has issued a categorical denial of a rift between the Duke of Edinburgh and Prince William. Yesterday the palace emphatically dismissed Tuesday’s revelations that Prince Philip had accused his grandson Prince William of overreacting to his run-in with an Ardent camera crew.
“The Duke of Edinburgh has asked me to make it clear that he does not hold the views attributed to him in one of today’s papers,” said the monarch’s press secretary, Penny Russell-Smith. “Prince Philip fully supports the efforts being made to ensure that Prince William’s privacy is respected at St Andrews.
“Prince Philip has not condoned the activities of the Ardent film crew at St Andrews. The views and comments ascribed to the Duke of Edinburgh in this article are therefore totally without foundation.”
The article in question had played up the idea of a rift between Buckingham Palace and St James’s Palace, but Prince Charles’s court said last night that it “welcomed” the statement by his mother’s office. Prince William will no doubt also be pleased, as he is known to loathe press speculation about his life. The undergraduate has said he will leave university should media intrusion become too overwhelming for him.
The scandal broke last month, when it emerged that Prince Edward’s TV production company, Ardent, had sent a camera crew up to the Scottish town where his nephew is studying. The fact that the agreement between the media and the palace had been broken by a member of the teenage prince’s own family, “beggared belief”, said the rector of St Andrews University, Andrew Neil at the time.
The Earl of Wessex eventually issued an apology, but by then the harm was done. His relationship with his eldest brother, Prince Charles, was reported as being strained, with the heir to the throne apparently “incandescent” with rage over Edward's involvement.
This time, Buckingham Palace has lost no time in refuting the allegations, which could have proved damaging to the monarchy had they been allowed to gather steam.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
