Prince of Wales used ‘black spider’ letters to lobby on behalf of charities

14 May 2015 News

The Prince of Wales lobbied government ministers extensively on behalf of charities in his “black spider” letters, correspondence published yesterday shows.

The Prince of Wales lobbied government ministers extensively on behalf of charities in his “black spider” letters, correspondence published yesterday shows.

Following a ten-year battle with the Guardian newspaper about a request under the Freedom of Information Act, the government was yesterday forced to publish 27 pieces of correspondence between Prince Charles and ministers in Tony Blair’s government, including Blair himself when he was Prime Minister. The correspondence is known as the “black spider” letters because of the prince’s handwriting.

In most of the letters, the prince highlights work done by his charities, including the Prince’s Foundation for Integrated Health – a now-dissolved charity which promoted alternative medicine – the Prince’s Foundation for Building Community, the Prince’s Teaching Initiative, the Prince’s Regeneration Trust and In Kind Direct, which helps encourage businesses to provide in-kind support to other charities.

He also writes extensively about the work of other unnamed non-governmental organisations working in the fields of conservation and climate change, and praises the work of the New Zealand Heritage Trust.

In a letter addressed to Patricia Hewitt, then Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, the prince wrote: “I did just want to write and thank you so much for your letter and for finding the time to meet with [name redacted] from In Kind Direct. I could not be more pleased that you have had the opportunity to hear from [name redacted] at first hand, of the valuable work which I.K.D. does.”

And in a letter to John Reid, then Secretary of State for Education, he wrote: “I do appreciate your kind words about my Foundation for the Built Environment and the contribution it has been able to make in this field.

"When back in November 2001 I shared a platform with the then Secretary of State of a conference co-hosted by NHS Estates and my foundation, I was pleased to launch what I think has been a very positive collaboration in promoting an integrated approach to design quality in healthcare buildings and the way we treat redundant hospitals.”

The black spider letters are believed to be only a small fraction of the letters sent by Prince Charles to ministers, but Freedom of Information rules have now been changed to prevent any more letters being published.

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