Royal Blackmail Plot

[Duchess]

Originally Posted by CasiraghiTrio

Good point, Elspeth. Ok I will be good. I won't name anyone of my suspects. Honestly, I don't have a particular strong suspicion anyway. I'm sorry about the mistake, though; I misunderstood about the "senior royal". Checking it again, I was wrong; it's not a senior royal. True enough, Prince Andrew can't be the person. But for some reason I don't think it's Freddie either. I don't know why. I just have a feeling it is not him. For one, he's not a royal at all, even junior, and also it just seems too easy to suspect someone that has already had a drug past. People always look at the ones who got in trouble before.... I bet it's a "quiet" one you'd never suspect! You know what they say about the "quiet" ones, right?

i think the press will use the "royal" thing no matter how far down the line the person is as long as there's some realistic connection. that's why my first thought was that it was a minor rather than a senior. the "royal" thing will always make it more sensational.

[selrahc4]

Originally Posted by kgreen20

Seriously, I don't guess any of us will ever know who this person is, since the press has decided not to name him. We can guess and surmise, of course, but we just don't know.


Kathy G.

Has "the press has decided not to name him", or is it a matter of being legally restricted from doing so?

[CasiraghiTrio]

Originally Posted by Duchess

i think the press will use the "royal" thing no matter how far down the line the person is as long as there's some realistic connection. that's why my first thought was that it was a minor rather than a senior. the "royal" thing will always make it more sensational.

Good point. Yes, of course, now I am convinced. It could really be anyone related to the royal family, technically royal or not. The press would say the person is royal to grab the public curiosity. But of course for all we know the person could be a non-royal Lascelles cousin.... I am not wagging a finger at them, but from the perspective of the press, "minor or junior royal" sounds more enticing to readers than "X Lascelles". I mean, who is interested in just "X Lascelles" or "Z Windsor" whatever besides us royal watchers?
Then again, who would bother blackmailing a Lascelles, or even Lord Freddie Windsor? Maybe the Lascelles family has a lot of money,I am not sure, but I doubt Lord Freddie is very wealthy....

[kgreen20]

Originally Posted by selrahc4

Has "the press has decided not to name him", or is it a matter of being legally restricted from doing so?

Whichever way that is, the end result is the same. The press is not going to name the person, so we have no way of knowing who it is.

[Elspeth]

Originally Posted by selrahc4

Has "the press has decided not to name him", or is it a matter of being legally restricted from doing so?

According to the BBC:

"A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said the magistrates' hearing had been held "in camera", or in private, and that reporting restrictions had been imposed to prevent the victim or witnesses from being identified."

BBC NEWS | UK | Blackmail plot royal 'not senior'

I don't suppose Rupert Murdoch's flagship newspaper would be imposing a voluntary gag on itself in the absence of a legal requirement.

[wbenson]

Originally Posted by Duchess

i'm not familiar with law in the UK but wasn't kate moss arrested after that photo of her appeared in a paper?

She was questioned, but she couldn't be charged as photographs of alleged drug use aren't admissible as evidence.

[pinkie40]

I am sure the name will surface at some point on the internet...just like paparazzi photos of Diana visibly hurt and dying.

I've narrowed the "top 40" list of royals to about 7 "suspects"....Just because there is a claim there is a tape, doesn't mean there is one...just probably an extortion attempt....Very sad and disturbing...

[selrahc4]

The more I hear and read about this, the more it appears it might just be some sort of scam concocted by the blackmailers. Did any of you in the UK see James Whittaker on the ITV program "Good Morning"? I've heard that he was on this morning and said
1) that he'd seen the tape,
2) that the only thing on it is someone making these claims,
3) that the tape had been offered to the media this summer but no one wanted it because there was no evidence that any of it was true.
4) that it was when that failed blackmail was attempted.

Did anyone see the broadcast?

[pinkie40]

What makes me sad is this makes me think of the sheer horror and sadness Fergie had to endure when some photos of her on private vacations surfaced...It didn't take six degrees of separation to find cocaine among the mix of the principals there either....

Also, I believe it was a concern of Prince Charles after the death of Diana that his sons did not mix with people who had problems with substance abuse.

I don't envy the royals having to worry about what is going on around them...

[Polly]

I read the name of the alleged victim in a US publication, this morning. It was none of those mentioned here. It's only illegal to publish the name in the UK, but whether the claim is true or not, I have no way of knowing.

Blackmail is vicious and despicable, and no matter who did what, I hope that if those arrested are found guilty that they're imprisoned for a very long time.

As for the alleged victim, even though I've never really liked him very much, I do feel sorry for him in this instance.

[Nico]

It's a total "secret de polichinel" as we use to say in France. Some US media annonced today the name of the royal victim...sad

[CasiraghiTrio]

Originally Posted by selrahc4

The more I hear and read about this, the more it appears it might just be some sort of scam concocted by the blackmailers. Did any of you in the UK see James Whittaker on the ITV program "Good Morning"? I've heard that he was on this morning and said
1) that he'd seen the tape,
2) that the only thing on it is someone making these claims,
3) that the tape had been offered to the media this summer but no one wanted it because there was no evidence that any of it was true.
4) that it was when that failed blackmail was attempted.

Did anyone see the broadcast?

I didn't see the broadcast but Andrew Pierce in the Telegraph (London) also quotes the lawyer of one of the blackmailers saying that the tape in existence only shows the aide boasting about the sex act; it doesn't show any sex act taking place, says the lawyer. Pierce also claims that the blackmailers had attempted to sell their story to a tabloid before, as apparently Whittaker said on that show you watched.
--> Andrew Pierce, "Men accused of royal blackmail named...." The (London) Telegraph, 28 October 2007

[Lady Karen]

Originally Posted by Nico

It's a total "secret de polichinel" as we use to say in France. Some US media annonced today the name of the royal victim...sad

Nico, I have not seen anything in the legitimate US media naming the victim...I have seen plenty of reports naming the blackmailers though...are you sure this is correct?

[CasiraghiTrio]

Originally Posted by Nico

It's a total "secret de polichinel" as we use to say in France. Some US media annonced today the name of the royal victim...sad

It's understandable that you and Polly won't name the person, but you could at least cite your source. Just a simple name of the media organization that made the claim would do.

[Nico]

It's already on the web, apparently, according to another forum, aired by the CBC and is more or less in the web edition of the daily mail. Not really a great "surprise".

[scooter]

Didn't Tom Parker-Bowles have a flirtation with cocaine in his 'wild youth'? I dont like to think it's him since he's so recently married, but sometimes pregnant wives or ones with newborns aren't terribly interested in the type of favors being alleged here. Hope it's not him!

[CasiraghiTrio]

Originally Posted by Nico

It's already on the web, apparently, according to another forum, aired by the CBC and is more or less in the web edition of the daily mail. Not really a great "surprise".

CBC is a Canadian network, though, not US. I haven't seen any US outlets airing the name, which is surprising unless it's because the US media is acting to stay on the good side with the UK. Could be political.

[Polly]

Well, as it's already in the public domain....

My source was The Huffington Post. It's a highly regarded politically liberal online news magazine and aggregated weblog. Generally, I find it reasonably reliable, as its journos and reporters are often top-notch. I usually check it out for its political analysis.

[Marengo]

Is it true that the two blackmailers or one of them is friends with Lord Frederick Windsor? And that one of them is in the social group of William, Harry and Zara Phillips? That was what said on Dutch television anyway.

[hmwawasi]

Originally Posted by Elspeth

As long as names aren't being named in the press, there's not a lot of point speculating in this thread. Please let's stay away from allegations about illegal activities when we don't even know which royal and which alleged activities are involved in these accusations.

Elspeth

British Royals moderator

it seems that your warning has also been written about on the times newspaper website about the spectaculation in naming the unnamed royal. i wonder if the writers follow the forums as well

Royal aide boasts on tape about his fling with an MP, says lawyer - Times Online

Last night the identity of the minor royal, which has already been published in foreign newspapers and on the internet, was broadcast on American television, making a further mockery of the British courts’ efforts to keep the allegations under wraps. The Royal Forums message board carried a warning from the administrator against speculation.