Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live At Daybreak
Prince Charles is What?
Aired November 10, 2003 - 06:51 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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Prince Charles is what? Nobody really knows, but it's all over British newspapers, all over the front pages there.
Let's head live to London now for more on the prince.
And Diana Muriel -- good morning, Diana.
DIANA MURIEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Carol.
Well, Prince Charles has a lot to thank his newly arrived niece for already. She arrived just as the speculation is reaching fever pitch, really, in the U.K. about this alleged incident that took place, that a former royal valet claims to have witnessed, an allegation that Prince Charles has denied is true, although he has confirmed that he is the senior royal at the center of these allegations.
Now, I can't tell you what these allegations amount to because they are the subject of a court ban here in England and Wales. And we are not allowed to report the story.
However, that is not the case in Scotland and a Scottish newspaper has already gone ahead and printed these claims, as have other newspapers around the world, and, indeed, it's on the Internet.
So this story is effectively out there. The question now for Prince Charles, who returned from a state visit in Oman on Sunday, the question for him is what is he going to do about it now? He's down in Gloucestershire at his country residence, High Grove, and he's talking with his senior advisers. His spokesperson have denied that it amounts to a war council. They say that it's a matter of natural course, that the prince looks at what the Sunday newspapers have printed every Monday with his advisers, although he did have dinner with his companion, Camilla Parker Bowles, and with his son, Prince William, last night, and Clarence House has told us that both his sons support their father absolutely.
We have no details as to what he might do, although Clarence House has said that he will not be making a televised statement about the issue, which had been reported in some of the newspapers over the weekend -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Is there some sense that he's seemingly making such a big deal of this that the story is becoming bigger and bigger and bigger? MURIEL: Well, there has been a lot of discussion and comment about the fact that the prince decided to make it known that he was the senior royal at the heart of these allegations, even though the allegations were true, and allegations that no British newspaper, no English or Welsh newspaper, rather, can actually print.
So this all served to increase speculation and to continue the story, gave it legs, according to one of the lawyers that I spoke to. And some people have said, some lawyers have told me this morning that they don't believe the prince can just sit there and do nothing.
But until and unless a newspaper, an English or a Welsh newspaper actually prints the story and breaks the court ban by committing contempt of court, then the prince cannot do very much. If he goes after the royal valet, the former royal valet, who's been named as George Smith, if he goes after him and sues him, then this man, who has had a series of mental problems, who's had an alcohol problem and is, to all intents and purposes, not a very well man, he may well be criticized for attacking this person.
So, as I say, the prince seems to be taking advice from his senior advisers at the moment and keeping his powder dry before he comes out and does anything. But it seems that he will not be making a televised statement on the issue, at least not today -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right, well, we'll be watching and listening.
Diana Muriel live from London for us this morning.
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 10, 2003 - 06:51 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Prince Charles is what? Nobody really knows, but it's all over British newspapers, all over the front pages there.
Let's head live to London now for more on the prince.
And Diana Muriel -- good morning, Diana.
DIANA MURIEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Carol.
Well, Prince Charles has a lot to thank his newly arrived niece for already. She arrived just as the speculation is reaching fever pitch, really, in the U.K. about this alleged incident that took place, that a former royal valet claims to have witnessed, an allegation that Prince Charles has denied is true, although he has confirmed that he is the senior royal at the center of these allegations.
Now, I can't tell you what these allegations amount to because they are the subject of a court ban here in England and Wales. And we are not allowed to report the story.
However, that is not the case in Scotland and a Scottish newspaper has already gone ahead and printed these claims, as have other newspapers around the world, and, indeed, it's on the Internet.
So this story is effectively out there. The question now for Prince Charles, who returned from a state visit in Oman on Sunday, the question for him is what is he going to do about it now? He's down in Gloucestershire at his country residence, High Grove, and he's talking with his senior advisers. His spokesperson have denied that it amounts to a war council. They say that it's a matter of natural course, that the prince looks at what the Sunday newspapers have printed every Monday with his advisers, although he did have dinner with his companion, Camilla Parker Bowles, and with his son, Prince William, last night, and Clarence House has told us that both his sons support their father absolutely.
We have no details as to what he might do, although Clarence House has said that he will not be making a televised statement about the issue, which had been reported in some of the newspapers over the weekend -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Is there some sense that he's seemingly making such a big deal of this that the story is becoming bigger and bigger and bigger? MURIEL: Well, there has been a lot of discussion and comment about the fact that the prince decided to make it known that he was the senior royal at the heart of these allegations, even though the allegations were true, and allegations that no British newspaper, no English or Welsh newspaper, rather, can actually print.
So this all served to increase speculation and to continue the story, gave it legs, according to one of the lawyers that I spoke to. And some people have said, some lawyers have told me this morning that they don't believe the prince can just sit there and do nothing.
But until and unless a newspaper, an English or a Welsh newspaper actually prints the story and breaks the court ban by committing contempt of court, then the prince cannot do very much. If he goes after the royal valet, the former royal valet, who's been named as George Smith, if he goes after him and sues him, then this man, who has had a series of mental problems, who's had an alcohol problem and is, to all intents and purposes, not a very well man, he may well be criticized for attacking this person.
So, as I say, the prince seems to be taking advice from his senior advisers at the moment and keeping his powder dry before he comes out and does anything. But it seems that he will not be making a televised statement on the issue, at least not today -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right, well, we'll be watching and listening.
Diana Muriel live from London for us this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
