LONDON, March 12 (UPI) -- Britain's Prince Charles has launched a pre-emptive strike against a British television documentary that suggests he is "unfit to rule."
In a report, the prince's most senior official sought to systematically destroy controversial claims in a Channel 4 program scheduled to air Monday that Prince Charles's political "meddling" and "abuse" of power threatened the future of the monarchy, The Telegraph said.
The rebuttal, which runs 21 pages not including appendices, was released in advance of the documentary, "Charles -- The Meddling Prince." It will be posted on the prince's Web site.
The countermeasure marked a new initiative by the prince and his aides in defending him against what they said was unsubstantiated and unfair criticism. Aides said they were concerned about the documentary's assertion that if the prince continued his alleged meddling and lobbying of government ministers, he could push Britain into a constitutional crisis.
"His role and the way he contributes to national life will change when he becomes king," said his principal private secretary, Michael Peat. "It is misconceived and entirely hypothetical to suggest that problems will result if the Prince of Wales fulfills his role in the same way as king. He will not."
