Princes get apology for 'invasion of privacy'

LONDON - One of the News of the World's most senior journalists made an abject apology to the Prince of Wales and his sons after pleading guilty to an invasion of their privacy.

Royal editor Clive Goodman admitted conspiracy to intercept telephone calls "without lawful authority" between November 2005 and last August.

His counsel John Kelsey-Fry QC said: "He accepts [his actions] were a gross invasion of privacy [and] apologises unreservedly to the three members of the royal household staff concerned and their principals, Prince William, Prince Harry and the Prince of Wales."

Goodman was remanded to a future date with his co-defendant Glenn Mulcaire, a ex-footballer turned investigator. Goodman was arrested after claims by members of the Prince of Wales's household of security breaches in its telephone network.

The case came to light when Prince William began to fear aides' mobile phone voicemail messages were being intercepted after a story about his knee injury appeared in the News of the World in November last year despite the fact few people were aware of it.

- INDEPENDENT