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Royal Scandal

Aired November 11, 2003 - 14:16   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.


MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Now to a case of what Britain's prince says he did not know. British newspapers have been keeping royal watches agog for weeks, hinting of a royal bombshell so outrageous nobody can say what it is. And legally, that's the case. The scandal is even sparking debate on the future of the monarchy.
CNN's Diana Muriel live in London with more on the story we want to know so much about, but know so little about.

Hello, Diana.

DIANA MURIEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Miles.

Yes, indeed. Well, I still can't tell you the details of the allegations that have been made concerning Prince Charles, but these allegations are being made by a former valet named George Smith, and he claims to have witnessed an alleged sexual incident concerning the Prince of Wales, but more than that, I cannot say, or they will send me to prison for contempt of court.

However, the story is out there. It's been published by other newspapers around the world. Indeed, one in Scotland, and the story is still on the front pages of one the British newspapers. This is the "Daily Mirror" and its headline this morning, "Burrell: Diana Believed the Valet." Now Burrell of course is referring to Paul Burrell, who was Princess Diana's former butler, and he has recently published a book himself, detailing more revelations about the royal household and Princess Diana and her relationship with her former husband, Prince Charles.

But I have to say, there is quite a lot of sympathy for Prince Charles. He came out and denied that the allegations that this valet were making were true, even though he said that he was the royal that the allegation was all about, very confusing, and actually increased speculation in the media, around the world, as to exactly what all of it was all about.

But now, "The Sun," which is normally in the vanguard of the tax on the family, they are printing a headline, "Lay Off Charles: Let's Stop the Witch Hunt." And indeed, the story has faded from the broad sheet newspapers this Tuesday. Those perhaps the more serious newspapers here in England, and they are starting to ignore the story.

The strategy that he's adopted of not pursuing this in the courts, not making a televised appearance to make a statement about seems to be working -- Miles. O'BRIEN: Interesting, because when we first heard the denial of an event that cannot be repeated legally in Great Britain, there were many who were very skeptical about that tactic, but maybe it worked.

MURIEL: Well, it looks like it has done. I mean, one lawyer explained to me, Miles, that Prince Charles lives in the real world. He knew that this story was going to get out there, was going to be leaked, and it was going to start appearing on the Internet, which he has no control over, and indeed the English courts have no control over. The best policy they decided was to publish a denial of the story to go with the reports as they started to appear, but not to go any further than that, to allow the injunction on reporting it in England and Wales to stand, which it still does, and after having made that statement, not to do anything further. That's been their policy. Looks like it's working -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: All right, Diana Muriel, thank you for more on the story we just don't know enough about. We appreciate it. It's not her fault.

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 - 14:16   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Now to a case of what Britain's prince says he did not know. British newspapers have been keeping royal watches agog for weeks, hinting of a royal bombshell so outrageous nobody can say what it is. And legally, that's the case. The scandal is even sparking debate on the future of the monarchy.
CNN's Diana Muriel live in London with more on the story we want to know so much about, but know so little about.

Hello, Diana.

DIANA MURIEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Miles.

Yes, indeed. Well, I still can't tell you the details of the allegations that have been made concerning Prince Charles, but these allegations are being made by a former valet named George Smith, and he claims to have witnessed an alleged sexual incident concerning the Prince of Wales, but more than that, I cannot say, or they will send me to prison for contempt of court.

However, the story is out there. It's been published by other newspapers around the world. Indeed, one in Scotland, and the story is still on the front pages of one the British newspapers. This is the "Daily Mirror" and its headline this morning, "Burrell: Diana Believed the Valet." Now Burrell of course is referring to Paul Burrell, who was Princess Diana's former butler, and he has recently published a book himself, detailing more revelations about the royal household and Princess Diana and her relationship with her former husband, Prince Charles.

But I have to say, there is quite a lot of sympathy for Prince Charles. He came out and denied that the allegations that this valet were making were true, even though he said that he was the royal that the allegation was all about, very confusing, and actually increased speculation in the media, around the world, as to exactly what all of it was all about.

But now, "The Sun," which is normally in the vanguard of the tax on the family, they are printing a headline, "Lay Off Charles: Let's Stop the Witch Hunt." And indeed, the story has faded from the broad sheet newspapers this Tuesday. Those perhaps the more serious newspapers here in England, and they are starting to ignore the story.

The strategy that he's adopted of not pursuing this in the courts, not making a televised appearance to make a statement about seems to be working -- Miles. O'BRIEN: Interesting, because when we first heard the denial of an event that cannot be repeated legally in Great Britain, there were many who were very skeptical about that tactic, but maybe it worked.

MURIEL: Well, it looks like it has done. I mean, one lawyer explained to me, Miles, that Prince Charles lives in the real world. He knew that this story was going to get out there, was going to be leaked, and it was going to start appearing on the Internet, which he has no control over, and indeed the English courts have no control over. The best policy they decided was to publish a denial of the story to go with the reports as they started to appear, but not to go any further than that, to allow the injunction on reporting it in England and Wales to stand, which it still does, and after having made that statement, not to do anything further. That's been their policy. Looks like it's working -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: All right, Diana Muriel, thank you for more on the story we just don't know enough about. We appreciate it. It's not her fault.

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