Prince ‘Betrayed’ as Friend Misquoted Him, Papers Report

Prince Charles feels “betrayed” by a friend who misquoted his views on Britain’s inner-city problems, making him look pompous and throwing him into an unwanted political spotlight, British press reports said today.

Three British newspapers said Charles sent a “stern letter” of rebuke to architect Rod Hackney, who last week said the prince feared he might inherit the throne to a “divided,” riot-torn Britain.

In an interview last week, Hackney said the prince “is very worried that when he becomes king there will be ‘no-go’ areas in the inner cities and that the minorities will be alienated from the rest of the country.”

But the Sun newspaper quoted the prince, who is traveling in Australia, as telling aides: “I’ve never said Britain is divided and I’ve never used the phrase, ‘when I become king.’ It’s so pompous.”

“I feel betrayed,” the Sun quoted Charles as saying. “The last thing I wanted to do was become involved in a political row.”