A right royal scandal

FULL marks to the Royal Household who have decided to take legal action following yet another stunt by a tabloid reporter. Disclosing a serious security lapse is one thing but transforming the “scoop” into a glossy magazine spread of how the royals live and intimate details of their lifestyle is just an invasion of privacy. I suspect that this was not about royal security. Even in my limited experience I could disclose some major security lapses involving some very important people when they have visited the island. But there we go. I personally believe that providing you have the necessary nerve you could probably go anywhere despite all the additional security. But yet again we have an important security failure. If this state of affairs had just been uncovered, published and the necessary details given to the police and the security service then full marks to the newspaper involved. You have carried out a real public service. But this is where the scoop goes all wrong. Ten pages of the life of the royal family is there in full colour plus all the necessary gossip. A scoop then becomes a stunt and “royal security lapse” then becomes “how the royals live.” I must admit after seeing the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh's breakfast table with the transistor radio and small plastic boxes of cereal I found the whole episode rather endearing but is it really in the public interest? Well no. I also think there is a danger that all these lastest alleged royal scandals will hit the tabloids where it hurts. I think you can safely say that the story involving Prince Charles was shelved because the papers were left fearing a backlash. You can say what you like about newspapers but what all editors fear is a drop in sales. If the readers aren't happy you are in a dodgy situation.