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CNN Live Today

Royal Scandal

Aired November 11, 2003 - 10:25   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.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We move from the markets to major news and a major mess for the royal family. Britain's Prince Charles has been dogged by rumor and innuendo relating to a claim by a former valet. Now the details of the claim are not supposed to be reported. There has, though, been enough to fuel front-page articles and a full- blown royal scandal.
Diana Muriel joins us with more now from London.

Hello, Diana.

DIANA MURIEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Daryn.

Yes, indeed, 10 days after this scandal broke, it's still on the front pages of the tabloid newspaper. It appears in "The Daily Mirror," saying Diana believed -- this is referring to Paul Burrell, of course, who was Diana's butler, and he is the author of a book, "A Royal Duty," which has just recently been published. It itself was the cause of more embarrassing revelations for the royal family.

But I should say, Daryn, that most of the broad sheets, that's perhaps the more serious newspapers in Britain, have taken the stories off their front pages, and indeed out of all their newspapers altogether. "The Sun" newspaper, which is another tabloid, is saying "Lay Off Charles." And that is an indication of some of sympathy that's growing, public sympathy for Prince Charles, who has been handling this scandal in a rather unique way.

We can't, as you say, give you the details of the allegations that have been made against him by this former valet as talked about by one of the newspapers. Prince Charles came out and denied the allegations were true, although he confirmed he was the senior royal at the heart of the allegations. And that was a very unusual step, but it seems to have worked. Many people thought it was the wrong thing to do. He should just have ignored it as royals are wont to do with these sort of stories in the past. But that strategy seems to have worked. And now the prince has not done anything. He's saying he's not going to take legal action. He's not going to make a televised appearance, or making any statements about this issue. He just wants the whole story to go away, and it looks like it's beginning to do that -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Diana, we had Paul Burrell on with us yesterday, here in Atlanta, and he seemed to suggest that this is all a byproduct of his trial that almost happened, but didn't, when the queen intervened?

MURIEL: That's right. I saw that interview, and Paul Burrell indicating that the royal family could have stopped that trial. The trial was about allegations of theft of personal possessions, Diana's personal possessions, that the royal family were making. And of course, famously, the queen intervened in the middle of that trial, saying she remembered that Diana had given Paul Burrell some of her possessions. Therefore, the trial collapsed.

Paul Burrell seems to be very bitter about his treatment at the hands of the royal family, and indeed many believe that that's part of the reason why we're seeing so many of these allegations and humiliating revelations taking place at the moment, because they have not been -- they feel they haven't been treated particularly well. And indeed, there has not yet been an inquest, a British inquest, into the death of Princess Diana six years ago, which is a matter of course under British law. There will be one, and perhaps there will be more revelations at that time -- Daryn.

KAGAN: But for now the more (UNINTELLIGIBLE) papers trying to wipe the Charles scandal off their front pages. Diana, thank you for that. Appreciate it.

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 11, 2003 - 10:25   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We move from the markets to major news and a major mess for the royal family. Britain's Prince Charles has been dogged by rumor and innuendo relating to a claim by a former valet. Now the details of the claim are not supposed to be reported. There has, though, been enough to fuel front-page articles and a full- blown royal scandal.
Diana Muriel joins us with more now from London.

Hello, Diana.

DIANA MURIEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Daryn.

Yes, indeed, 10 days after this scandal broke, it's still on the front pages of the tabloid newspaper. It appears in "The Daily Mirror," saying Diana believed -- this is referring to Paul Burrell, of course, who was Diana's butler, and he is the author of a book, "A Royal Duty," which has just recently been published. It itself was the cause of more embarrassing revelations for the royal family.

But I should say, Daryn, that most of the broad sheets, that's perhaps the more serious newspapers in Britain, have taken the stories off their front pages, and indeed out of all their newspapers altogether. "The Sun" newspaper, which is another tabloid, is saying "Lay Off Charles." And that is an indication of some of sympathy that's growing, public sympathy for Prince Charles, who has been handling this scandal in a rather unique way.

We can't, as you say, give you the details of the allegations that have been made against him by this former valet as talked about by one of the newspapers. Prince Charles came out and denied the allegations were true, although he confirmed he was the senior royal at the heart of the allegations. And that was a very unusual step, but it seems to have worked. Many people thought it was the wrong thing to do. He should just have ignored it as royals are wont to do with these sort of stories in the past. But that strategy seems to have worked. And now the prince has not done anything. He's saying he's not going to take legal action. He's not going to make a televised appearance, or making any statements about this issue. He just wants the whole story to go away, and it looks like it's beginning to do that -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Diana, we had Paul Burrell on with us yesterday, here in Atlanta, and he seemed to suggest that this is all a byproduct of his trial that almost happened, but didn't, when the queen intervened?

MURIEL: That's right. I saw that interview, and Paul Burrell indicating that the royal family could have stopped that trial. The trial was about allegations of theft of personal possessions, Diana's personal possessions, that the royal family were making. And of course, famously, the queen intervened in the middle of that trial, saying she remembered that Diana had given Paul Burrell some of her possessions. Therefore, the trial collapsed.

Paul Burrell seems to be very bitter about his treatment at the hands of the royal family, and indeed many believe that that's part of the reason why we're seeing so many of these allegations and humiliating revelations taking place at the moment, because they have not been -- they feel they haven't been treated particularly well. And indeed, there has not yet been an inquest, a British inquest, into the death of Princess Diana six years ago, which is a matter of course under British law. There will be one, and perhaps there will be more revelations at that time -- Daryn.

KAGAN: But for now the more (UNINTELLIGIBLE) papers trying to wipe the Charles scandal off their front pages. Diana, thank you for that. Appreciate it.

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