Prince Charles has apparently drawn the line over his partner Camilla Parker Bowles attending a massive pro-hunt rally in London next month, reportedly calling her planned participation too “politically sensitive”. Both Charles and Camilla are enthusiastic members of the hunt, and the royal consort is keen to show her support of the Countryside Alliance rally which is aimed at fighting the government’s planned ban on hunting. But the Prince is said to be concerned that Camilla’s attendance could be seen as a direct attack on Prime Minister Tony Blair. She is still “resisting the pressure not to go”, however.
“Camilla is passionate about hunting which is why she wants to take part in the march,” said a friend of Mrs Parker Bowles. “Prince Charles has told her she can’t go because it is too political.” Another friend added: “Camilla would not want to do anything to embarrass Charles, but she will be determined to show her support for the marchers.” Camilla’s father, Bruce Shand, and her sister Annabel Elliot will attend the Liberty and Livelihood march, as will many of her social set. Over a quarter of a million people are expected to take part in the September 22 event.
“It beggars belief that the Prince of Wales’s consort would choose to go on an anti-government protest march,” said Douglas Batchelor, the chief executive of the League Against Cruel Sports. Camilla is currently on holiday on the island of Corfu, while the Prince of Wales is staying in the Queen Mother’s former home on the Balmoral Estate in Scotland. A spokesperson at St James’s Palace says that although Charles will not attend the rally himself, he does back the right to hunt. “If there was a bill to outlaw it he would stop with much sadness. But until then he will go on backing, passionately, the right to hunt.” The Palace refused to comment on Mrs Parker Bowles’s plans saying that as she is a private individual it would not be appropriate to do so.
Earlier this year British MPs voted to ban hunting, but peers voted for a licensing system to allow restricted continuation of the activity. The government has now committed itself to resolving the situation which could lead to a parliamentary ruling on the subject.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
A passionately enthusiastic member of the hunt, the Prince's companion is apparently resisting pressure not to attend the September 22 protest march
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Charles reportedly feels that her presence at the massive rally against the goverment's planned ban on hunting could prove too politically sensitive
