According to a report in the Independent newspaper the government is “stalling” the publication of letters from Charles Windsor (aka Prince Charles) to former Prime Minister Tony Blair about the hunting of foxes.
This follows a ruling by Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham that there was a “clear and compelling public interest” for the letters to be published.
Mr Windsor will become the UK’s head of state on the death of his mother. According to the newspaper he told a private gathering in 2002: “If the Labour government ever gets around to banning fox hunting, I might as well leave this country and spend the rest of my life skiing.” But when the hunting of foxes was made illegal Mr Windsor did not leave the UK.
Republicans and other democrats fear that Mr Windsor has used his hereditary privileges to try to persuade governments to act in accordance with his interests and will do so more when he become head of state. The letters are expected to give evidence of this.