Sunday 26 February 2006

Private journal

So how many copies of Prince Charles' personal, highly confidential, journal did he send round?
According to the Observer, "only 14 people read it". On the other hand, according to today's edition of the ever-consistent Sunday Times, "Charles circulated about 100 of these journals to close acquaintances" (page 7), they were "passed round the office before being distributed to up to 70 friends, associates and even transient acquaintances" (page 15), or they were "widely and chaotically distributed to as many as 40" (page 16).

Well, never mind about all that. On the subject of the prince's desire to have his views widely known (or not, as the case may be), it is a matter of some concern in government circles that there has been no response whatsoever from either Clarence House or Downing Street to the serious question I raised publicly as long ago as May 2004:

Eligibility regulations for the "gov.uk" web domain state that "Registration is limited to UK government departments and agencies, local government bodies... and other associated and non-departmental public sector organisations. It is not for use by individuals".
So why was"www.princeofwales.gov.uk" accepted for registration, eh? Did the Clarence House Webmaster Royal nip in quickly before the regulations were laid down, or did Mummy send Black Rod on his behalf to knock on ICANN’s door?
Or perhaps this is just Charles saying: if that Blair person carries on like a royal, then I’m jolly well going to be a government department, so there.

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