Question mark over Prince Charles's future role

Published on Wednesday 1 December 2010 13:52

THE Prince of Wales's suitability to be the future head of the Commonwealth was called into question by a senior official within the organisation, the Wikileaks releases have revealed.

According to one of the secret US diplomatic cables, Amitav Banerji, the Commonwealth Secretariat's director of political affairs, claimed the Prince of Wales did not "command the same respect" as the Queen.

The release is yet another embarrassment to the Royal Family following a cable from another US diplomat suggesting his brother, Prince Andrew, was "rude" and had attacked anti-corruption investigations into defence giant BAe.

Mr Banerji, chief political adviser to Commonwealth secretary-general Kamalesh Sharma, also suggested the institution was actively trying to make Prince Charles more involved with its work to improve his position in the Commonwealth.

The confidential cable said Mr Banerji "acknowledged that the heir-apparent to the British Crown, Prince Charles, does not 'command the same respect' as the Queen and said the Commonwealth was trying quietly to get him more involved in Commonwealth affairs".

The diplomat also suggested to the US official that the system for appointing a new Commonwealth head would have to be dealt with in the event of the Queen's death "as there is no rule stipulating that the British monarch is the head and no procedure for selecting a new head".