Prince Charles has launched an internal investigation into the royal scandals sparked by the sensational collapse of the Paul Burrell trial, it was announced on Tuesday.
Private secretary Sir Michael Peat and defence barrister Edmund Lawson QC will lead the unprecedented inquiry, which will include an examination of the conduct of Charles's household with respect to the termination of the Paul Burrell trial. An investigation into St James's Palace handling of 1996 homosexual rape allegations by a former valet, and the alleged sale of official royal gifts will also be included.
Many royal watchers and politicians met the news that the investigation would be held internally with scepticism. Sir Michael responded to such concerns, saying he and Prince Charles are "totally committed to openness and accountability". "Anyone who says it's going to be a complete whitewash doesn't know me very well," he emphasised. "The Prince of Wales has instructed me to undertake this inquiry without fear or favour." He later said that "in due course" an external independent inquiry may be held.
The investigation focuses only on the Prince's household and will not involve Queen Elizabeth II 's role in the trial. Sir Michael also revealed that the monarch will not be a "witness" in the investigation, a decision later explained by Buckingham Palace. "All the information regarding the Queen's involvement has been widely published by the media," said a spokesperson. "There will be no meeting between the Queen and Sir Michael because he already knows what the Queen said and did."
In another unprecedented move, Buckingham Palace has released a statement detailing the chronology of the Queen's involvement in the Burrell case. The timeline begins in December 1997, when the Queen met with the former butler for "about one and a half hours at his request", and ends with the now-famous discussion between Her Majesty, the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Edinburgh about the conversation on October 25 of this year.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
