UK releases more Prince Charles letters

The UK has released a second batch of private letters written by Prince Charles to ministers, following a lengthy legal battle.

Britain's Prince Charles.

The UK has released a second batch of private letters written by Prince Charles to ministers. (AAP)

British authorities have released more private letters from Prince Charles to government ministers on topics ranging from historic buildings to hospital food.

The letters were the subject of a lengthy legal battle that pitted Charles' right to privacy against the public's right to know.

The Guardian newspaper had applied to see correspondence between Charles and government departments.

The government refused, arguing that the frank missives reflected the heir to the throne's personal views and publishing them could undermine the perception of his neutrality.

As king, Charles would be expected to keep out of politics. As prince, he has expressed strong opinions on topics including architecture, genetically modified crops and climate change.

The Supreme Court ruled against the government in March, and a batch of 27 letters was released last month.

The 17 published Thursday - six from Charles, eight from ministers and three from private secretaries - were written between 2007 and 2009.

They reflect the prince's well-known views on topics including food in hospitals and affordable rural housing.

In one letter, Charles discusses his support for complementary medicine, which he says he has maintained despite "waves of invective over the years from parts of the Medical and Scientific Establishments."

Another speaks of the prince's concern about historic sites "lying derelict and abandoned by unscrupulous owners."


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Source: AAP



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