News of the World spied on Prince William: report

9 Nov 2011, 10:05 am   -   Source: AAP

A private investigator working for the News of the World has reportedly admitted to conducting surveillance on Prince William as well as dozens of politicians and celebrities.

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A private investigator working for News of the World has reportedly admitted to conducting surveillance on Prince William as well as dozens of politicians and celebrities.

According to the BBC, private eye Derek Webb spied on the prince in 2006 while William was in Gloucestershire, where his father Prince Charles has a country home.

A spokesman for the newspaper's parent company, News International, refused to comment on the revelations.

"We are not able to make any comment around the specific work carried out by Derek Webb. As is well known, the News of the World was closed by News International during the summer," the spokesperson told AAP.

A day earlier, the firm acknowledged that it had spied on two lawyers who represent alleged victims of phone hacking by News of the World.

News International said the surveillance had not been illegal, but was "deeply inappropriate".

William's office declined to comment on security matters.

Broadcaster Channel 4 said it had also seen the private investigator's logs which, it said, named Prince Harry as a target.

OTHER CELEBRITIES WHO WERE SPIED ON

Others trailed by Mr Webb included Harry's ex-girlfriend Chelsy Davy and football manager Jose Mourinho, the BBC reported.

The BBC said Webb worked for the newspaper for eight years until it was shut down in July and was paid to follow more than 90 targets, most of them celebrities and politicians.

It said the targets included then-attorney general Peter Goldsmith, former soccer star Gary Lineker and the parents of Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe.

"Basically I would write down what they were wearing at the time, what car they were in, who they met, the location they met, the times - the times were very important - and I would keep that," Webb told the BBC.

That form of surveillance would not be illegal, but media intrusion has become a major issue in Britain since evidence emerged earlier this year of widespread illegal eavesdropping by the News of the World.

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