Royals pulled into phone-hacking scandal

[cal04]

Prince Andrew's daughters are among the latest high-profile figures said to be victims of News International's illegal activities
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/exclusive-royals-pulled-into-phonehacking-scandal-2265869.html

The Royal Family has been pulled into the News International phone-hacking affair, dealing a blow to the latest desperate attempt by Rupert Murdoch's media giant to hide the true extent of the scandal, The Independent on Sunday can reveal. Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice are suspected targets of the media empire's hacking activities, and their father, the Duke of York, has privately expressed exasperation at the apparent breach of his family's privacy. Suspicions that the princesses were targets arose after Eugenie was the subject of an attempted mugging while travelling in Cambodia with a friend two years ago. The attack, in Phnom Penh during the girls' gap year, was thwarted by bodyguards but details of the incident quickly found their way into The Sun newspaper and other News International (NI) publications.

This is the first instance of the Royal Family being drawn into the phone-hacking row since the conviction of Clive Goodman, the News of the World's royal editor four years ago. Goodman pleaded guilty to intercepting messages left on phones of aides to Princes William and Harry and was jailed for four months. Glenn Mulcaire, a private investigator used to carry out the interceptions, was jailed for six months.

It is understood Prince Andrew, himself the subject of intense media scrutiny, and his ex-wife, the Duchess of York, also believe they were personally targeted. Prince Andrew, though angered by what he sees as the intrusion into his daughters' lives, has no plans to take the matter further.

In today's edition, the News of the World apologised "publicly and unreservedly" to all victims of the hacking. It added: "What happened to them should not have happened. It was and remains unacceptable."

[jwirr]

1. Bringing the royals into the case makes it more real to the people of

England. And maybe to the rest of us also. If they felt safe enough to go after them then no one was safe.

[47of74]

2. I wish Prince Andrew would take the matter further

You let that pirate get away with stuff like this and he thinks it's ok.

[felix_numinous]

3. Off with their heads!