Prince Charles’ Former Personal Valet Dies of AIDS
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LONDON — A former personal valet to Prince Charles, heir to the British throne, has died from AIDS, a close friend said today.
Stephen Barry, 37, who triggered a storm of protest when he broke Buckingham Palace’s code for employees by writing two best-selling books containing royal secrets after leaving his post in November, 1981, died in a London hospital over the weekend.
A spokesman at Buckingham Palace refused all comment, saying: “Stephen Barry is no longer a member of the royal household, and therefore we are not prepared to offer any comment.”
Barry, a self-acknowledged homosexual, rose from being a footman to one of Prince Charles’ most trusted members of staff.
His decision to sell secrets to a U.S. publisher triggered an uproar. Members of the royal household are bound not to reveal details of the Royal Family’s private life.
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