Prince Charles won't attend Olympics

LONDON, Jan. 29 (UPI) -- Britain's Prince Charles does not plan to attend the Olympic Games in Beijing this summer, it was reported Tuesday.

"As you know, His Royal Highness has long taken a close interest in Tibet and indeed has been pleased to meet His Holiness the Dalai Lama on several occasions," Prince Charles' deputy private secretary wrote in a letter to the Free Tibet Campaign. "You asked if the Prince of Wales would be attending the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics in 2008. His Royal Highness will not be attending the ceremony."

The Daily Telegraph cited sources among the royal family staff who said Charles would not attend the Beijing Olympics at any point.

"We welcome Prince Charles' decision to stay away from the Games, and call on other public figures and politicians to follow suit," said Matt Whitticase, a representative for the Free Tibet Campaign. "The deterioration of the human rights situation in Tibet and China since the Games were awarded is deplorable and can only mean that these Games rightly are destined to be known as the Games of shame."