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Europe's papers disclose what the butler saw
ROYAL RUMOR:
While British media are still gagged over the scandal that could destroy the royal family, papers on the continent are not so coy
THE GUARDIAN
, LONDON
Sunday, Nov 09, 2003, Page 6
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Michael Fawcett, former senior aide to Britain's Prince Charles, and his wife Debbie arrive back to their London home, Friday. Fawcett was identified in newspaper reports Thursday in connection with an alleged incident involving Prince Charles.
PHOTO: AP
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Efforts the household of Britain's Prince Charles to quash rumors of a sexual incident involving the future king suffered a further setback Friday as the allegations were published in European news outlets and on foreign-language Web sites.
The rash of stories among the continental media followed Clarence House's controversial decision to break its silence on Thursday to denounce the rumors as "totally untrue."
In a statement, Prince Charles's private secretary, Sir Michael Peat, said that because the allegation was becoming common currency he wanted to make clear that it was "without a shred of substance."
In Britain, the Popbitch e-mail bulletin also broadcast details of the rumors, while television stations added to the sense that Clarence House was losing control of the story by flashing up images of Corriere della Sera, the Italian newspaper which was one of the first to publish.
It is also understood that the London-based Mail on Sunday, which was injuncted at the request of Prince Charles's former aide Michael Fawcett when it sought to publicize the allegation, has had the terms of its injunction relaxed.
It will be allowed, like the rest of the nation's media, to publish whatever is in the public domain. However, this is unlikely to open the floodgates as the details in foreign media are not generally regarded by the courts as part of the public domain here.
It was unclear whether Sir Michael had foreseen that it would be impossible to deny the allegation without it becoming public in the end what the allegations actually were.
The report on page 19 of yesterday's Corriere della Sera, was filed by its London correspondent, Alessio Altichieri. It said that "the most lurid accusation against the British royal household came dramatically into the open yesterday". He went on to give details of the allegations.
A semi-pornographic Italian Web site has also set out the central allegations.
Other have claimed that Prince Charles was discovered by Fawcett in bed having sex with a male servent.
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