Charles entitled to privacy 'like humblest citizen' court told

Feb 21, 2006, 16:22 GMT

London - Britain's Prince Charles, embroiled in a legal battle over the newspaper publication of his private diaries, is entitled to keep his personal documents confidential 'in the same way as the humblest private citizen,' his lawyer argued in court Tuesday.

The Prince, 57, is asking the High Court to rule that The Mail on Sunday newspaper breached his confidentiality and copyright when it published extracts from his journals last year.

In his notes on the 1997 handover of Hong Kong to China, which he entitled 'The Great Chinese Takeaway,' the Prince described Chinese diplomats as 'appalling old waxworks' reminiscent of 'awful Soviet- style performers.'

His lawyer, Hugh Tomlinson, told the High Court in London: 'We are not dealing with state secrets. We are dealing with an ordinary type of personal journal of the type that any citizen might make in respect of a foreign trip, recording thoughts and impressions.'

Revealing that Charles had kept hand-written private journals about his overseas tours for 30 years, he added: 'A person who jots down his thoughts and impressions should not expect to find them on the front page of the Mail on Sunday.'

Copies of the Prince's 8 travel journals were allegedly passed to the newspaper by a former secretary at his private office.

Sources said the Prince was keen to halt any further publication of extracts of his writings. The hearing continues.