Storm over Charles’s remarks
NZPA-Reuter London Prince Charles came under fire yesterday for remarks he made in West Germany supporting Britain’s nuclear defence policy and praising the skill of past German military leaders. The London “Star” newspaper called him “Prinz Poppycock” in a front-page banner headline. It described his tribute to German military skills on Thursday as an astonishing blunder only three days before
Britain commemorates its dead from two world wars.
“Charles says German soldiers are wunderbar,” it said. The “Sun” described Charles’s speech, at an army school in Bavaria, as amazing and said it was sure to offend exservicemen. “The Times” focused on Charles’s apparent public endorsement of Margaret Thatcher’s nuclear defence policy — a rare foray into politics for a member of the
Royal family. Under a front-page headline “Storm over Prince’s Support on Defence,” “The Times” quoted the Labour House of Commons leader, Frank Dobson, as saying, “It is quite wrong of the Prince to have said this ... He is supposed to stay clear of such things.”
Prince Charles, on a one-week tour of West Germany with his wife, Princess Diana, told military officials: “Britain is a nuclear
power, albeit one whose nuclear deterrent is committed to the (N.A.T.0.) Alliance and therefore ... acts as an umbrella for the Federal Republic (of West Germany).” He said Germany was “well known for the excellence of its military officers down through history.” The “Daily Telegraph” said the Prince’s remarks on defence contrasted with recent speeches in which he had implicitly criticised Government social policies.
Storm over Charles’s remarks
Press, 7 November 1987, Page 12
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Press. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Copyright in all Footrot Flats cartoons is owned by Diogenes Designs Ltd. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise these cartoons and make them available online as part of this digitised version of the Press. You can search, browse, and print Footrot Flats cartoons for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Diogenes Designs Ltd for any other use.
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Christchurch City Libraries.
Log in