View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Archive content
November 21, 2002updated 17 May 2007 11:30am

Prince slaps gagging order on Sunday Mail

By Press Gazette

Scottish Sunday: ban on story

In a rare move, Prince Charles has obtained a court ban on newspaper revelations which he claims invade his privacy and are not in the public interest.

The Prince’s legal team was granted the gagging order in the Court of Session in Edinburgh to stop the Sunday Mail revealing details from a book written by his former housekeeper, Wendy Berry.

English and Welsh newspapers were banned some time ago from using Berry’s book, published in the US, but the High Court order did not extend to Scotland.

The Mail’s lawyers are preparing to fight the interim interdict which restricts the paper from running with Berry’s account of life with the royals. The story would have been part of coverage of the ongoing scandal surrounding accusations of palace staff selling unwanted gifts given to members of the Royal Family.

Editor Allan Rennie said: "This is a blow against freedom of speech.   There are genuine and mounting concerns over the Royal Family’s expenditure. Our report would have provided important new insight.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

"It is ridiculous that Americans can read these revelations and Scots can’t."

In an opinion piece headlined "The truth will out Charles", the Mail reminded its readers that, in 1936, all of America knew of King Edward’s affair with Wallis Simpson but ordinary Britons were kept in the dark, in deference to the throne.

"The interdict will, temporarily, stop us from revealing some home truths. We believe that no one, not even the heir to the throne, is above the law or beyond the scrutiny of a free press," it said.

The palace’s action proves it is caught in a timewarp, claimed the Mail, adding: "The one thing Prince Charles’s intervention has done is to focus debate on the future of the royals.

"Do we want a democracy with free speech where the public interest comes first? Or an outdated monarchy where privilege and self-interest rule?"

The paper ran an exclusive last weekend revealing that another butler, who faces charges of theft from Princess Diana, is still on the payroll.  

By Jean Morgan

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network