High Court Backs Windsor Cover-Up

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Monarchist Lie Allowed

The High Court has given its backing to feudal privilege by ruling that evidence of Charles Windsor’s undermining of democratic rights should be kept secret. However, in doing so the judges confirmed that the British monarchy does interfere in government, contrary to the claims of its defenders.

The court overruled an Information Tribunal decision that letters from Windsor to government ministers should be made public under the Freedom of Information Act.

According to the Financial Times the attorney-general had blocked publication of the letters because publication “would mean there was a risk the heir to the throne would not be seen to be politically neutral”.

One of the justifications that defenders of monarchy use is that it provides a “politically neutral” head of state. The statements made by the attorney-general to the court make it clear that Windsor is not politically neutral but that the government is determined to promote the falsehood that he is.

Attorney-General Dominic Grieve told the court that “This risk will arise if, through these letters, the Prince of Wales was viewed by others as disagreeing with government policy. Any such perception would be seriously damaging to his role as future monarch because if he forfeits his position of political neutrality as heir to the throne he cannot easily recover it when he is king,”

Mr. Windsor uses his status to influence government policy in those cases where he does not have a veto by sending hand-written letters to ministers. The Tribunal had ruled that twenty seven of those letters should be released.

Mr. Windsor is due to become hereditary head of state on the death of his mother. He receives an annual payment of about £16m for his responsibilities as son of the head of state. To most people these payments from public funds imply that he is not acting in a personal capacity when he uses his unique status to have his opinions given a consideration in policy debates that no other citizen can expect.

However, the High Court judges, two of whom use the feudal title of “Lord”, again ignored the rights of the people and took the side of the monarchists.

The legal proceedings were brought by the Guardian newspaper. It has announced that it will appeal against the ruling.


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