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CNN Live At Daybreak

'Over There'

Aired November 07, 2003 - 08:39   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Prince Charles says it's totally untrue and without a shred of evidence. The problem is we don't know what it is. That has a familiar ring to it, doesn't it?
For an explanation on that we go now over there to London and check in with my pal Richard quest.

Good morning, Richard.

Why has the palace adopted this high risk strategy of denying things that aren't even reported yet?

RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, That is exactly the question many people are asking in Britain this morning.

Jack, you knows old phrase of locking the stable door after the horse has bolted. Well here, we're not even sure where the stable was, whether there was a horse in it to start with, or indeed what the allegations are.

Now, basically what the palace has done is there have been various rumors and there have been accusations and allegations swirling around the gossip circles in London and around for some time. And what the palace has done is decided to say that whatever those rumors and allegations are, they aren't true, and Prince Charles has had nothing to do with them.

Now, this, of course, is an absolute legal minefield. And if I'm choosing my words carefully, it's because everybody is being exceptionally cautious in Britain at the moment not to cross over that line. Are those allegations well known to us? Certainly, yes.

But, Jack, the palace, and this is the interesting bit about it, the palace has decided to try and put a lid on it right from the get- go, trying to stop the accusations, and the rumors, before they go any further.

O'BRIEN: Well now, that's a silly idea. Of course they're going to go further. We're helping that along right now.

QUEST: Indeed we are. But unfortunately, while we may not want to talk about these matters, when you get a situation where Clarence House, Prince Charles' household, his palace so to speak, when they put out a statement like this, it immediately begs the question that people are asking him, what were the allegations? What's it all about? I mean, what is it, people will be saying, that has raised the palace to take this extraordinary level of protection, if you like for the Prince of Wales.

O'BRIEN: Let me ask you this, we don't know what the story is, but does Prince Charles know what it is he's denying?

QUEST: Well, one assumes he does. He's been out and about this morning. And what's interesting is, he doesn't seem too fazed about it.

They are hoping at Clarence House that by taking this action, it will put an end to it. The problem, of course, is that there are many sources these days where these allegations can go further afield. And it won't be long, Jack, before more people outside of Britain know what these allegations are than within the country itself. And that will raise even more difficult questions for the Prince of Wales.

CAFFERTY: Well, based on the history of the royal family. I can only say, Richard, I do look forward to the update coming on this story, because based on their past performance, you can bet it will be something we'll all at least get a passing bit of amusement from would be my guess.

QUEST: Choose your words carefully on this one, jack. Choose them very carefully, indeed.

CAFFERTY: Talk to you next week. Thank you, Richard.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired November 7, 2003 - 08:39   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Prince Charles says it's totally untrue and without a shred of evidence. The problem is we don't know what it is. That has a familiar ring to it, doesn't it?
For an explanation on that we go now over there to London and check in with my pal Richard quest.

Good morning, Richard.

Why has the palace adopted this high risk strategy of denying things that aren't even reported yet?

RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, That is exactly the question many people are asking in Britain this morning.

Jack, you knows old phrase of locking the stable door after the horse has bolted. Well here, we're not even sure where the stable was, whether there was a horse in it to start with, or indeed what the allegations are.

Now, basically what the palace has done is there have been various rumors and there have been accusations and allegations swirling around the gossip circles in London and around for some time. And what the palace has done is decided to say that whatever those rumors and allegations are, they aren't true, and Prince Charles has had nothing to do with them.

Now, this, of course, is an absolute legal minefield. And if I'm choosing my words carefully, it's because everybody is being exceptionally cautious in Britain at the moment not to cross over that line. Are those allegations well known to us? Certainly, yes.

But, Jack, the palace, and this is the interesting bit about it, the palace has decided to try and put a lid on it right from the get- go, trying to stop the accusations, and the rumors, before they go any further.

O'BRIEN: Well now, that's a silly idea. Of course they're going to go further. We're helping that along right now.

QUEST: Indeed we are. But unfortunately, while we may not want to talk about these matters, when you get a situation where Clarence House, Prince Charles' household, his palace so to speak, when they put out a statement like this, it immediately begs the question that people are asking him, what were the allegations? What's it all about? I mean, what is it, people will be saying, that has raised the palace to take this extraordinary level of protection, if you like for the Prince of Wales.

O'BRIEN: Let me ask you this, we don't know what the story is, but does Prince Charles know what it is he's denying?

QUEST: Well, one assumes he does. He's been out and about this morning. And what's interesting is, he doesn't seem too fazed about it.

They are hoping at Clarence House that by taking this action, it will put an end to it. The problem, of course, is that there are many sources these days where these allegations can go further afield. And it won't be long, Jack, before more people outside of Britain know what these allegations are than within the country itself. And that will raise even more difficult questions for the Prince of Wales.

CAFFERTY: Well, based on the history of the royal family. I can only say, Richard, I do look forward to the update coming on this story, because based on their past performance, you can bet it will be something we'll all at least get a passing bit of amusement from would be my guess.

QUEST: Choose your words carefully on this one, jack. Choose them very carefully, indeed.

CAFFERTY: Talk to you next week. Thank you, Richard.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com