Prince accused of straying into politics with Olympics snub

Published on Monday 28 January 2008 21:18

THE Prince of Wales was accused of political interference last night over his decision to boycott this summer's Olympics in Beijing.

In the wake of his apparent protest against the Chinese government's human-rights abuses in Tibet, Prince Charles was warned that his role was not to draft an alternative foreign policy for the UK.

His stance will prove embarrassing for Gordon Brown, as the government scrambles for trade deals with the growing economic powerhouse.

But while the prince has vowed to skip the event's opening ceremony, the Prime Minister has requested and been granted an invitation.

Prince Charles is a supporter of the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan leader.

But Ian Davidson, the outspoken Labour MP for Glasgow South West, last night claimed that the heir to the throne had strayed into politics.

He said: "The role of the monarch-to-be is not to create a separate foreign policy for Buckingham Palace. This will save the taxpayer a lot of money now that he and his entourage are not going, but I wonder whether he has cleared his political position with the government?"

The Free Tibet campaign group, which wrote to the prince urging him not to attend the Games, said it was disappointing that Mr Brown was "putting trade before human rights" by attending.

A spokesman for the group added: "Human-rights abuses in Tibet have worsened since China was awarded the games in 2001. These games will come to be known as the Games of Shame."

After Free Tibet wrote to the prince, the organisation received a letter from his deputy private secretary, Clive Alderton, confirming that Charles would not attend the opening.

He wrote: "As you know, His Royal Highness has long taken a close interest in Tibet and indeed has been pleased to meet His Holiness the Dalai Lama on several occasions.

"You asked if the Prince of Wales would be attending the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics in 2008. His Royal Highness will not be attending the ceremony."

A Clarence House spokeswoman last night confirmed that Prince Charles had not been invited to the event.

Downing Street resisted being drawn into a dispute with the Royal Family.

When asked whether the Prime Minister agreed with the prince's stance, Mr Brown's spokesman said: "He has made his position clear …That is a matter for Prince Charles."

Meanwhile, Chinese officials yesterday called for the prince to reconsider his position.

At the unveiling of an Olympic swimming centre in Beijing, Ling Fengming, the project's chief engineer, said the Olympics was not just China's, but belonged to the world.