how Prince Charles pressured ministers to change law to benefit his estate
Prince Charles exploited a controversial procedure to compel government
ministers to secretly change a proposed law to benefit
his landed estate, according to documents uncovered by the Guardian.
Official papers unearthed in the National Archives reveal ministers in John
Major’s government
yielded to his demands amid fears
that resisting the heir to the throne could spark a constitutional crisis.
Ministers backed down to “avoid a major row”
with the prince, effectively allowing him to force the hand of the elected government.
The disclosure of the documents provides further evidence of how the royal family has used the secretive procedure.