Prince Charles' Olympic-sized snub to China

By Richard Spencer | The Daily Telegraph, United Kingdom
January 28, 2008

The Prince of Wales has snubbed the Chinese government by refusing to attend the Olympic Games in Beijing this summer.

The Prince made his decision known to campaigners for a free Tibet, who had been calling on him to show solidarity with those who believe the Games risk obscuring China's human rights record.

He gave no reason for his decision, and neither did he say whether he had received a formal invitation.

But recently he has been wooed by the Chinese, and particularly their new ambassador in London, who had made it her personal mission to encourage him to go.

"As you know, His Royal Highness has long taken a close interest in Tibet and indeed has been pleased to meet His Holiness the Dalai Lama on several occasions," a letter, written to the Free Tibet Campaign by Clive Alderton, the Prince's deputy private secretary, said.

"You asked if the Prince of Wales would be attending the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics in 2008. His Royal Highness will not be attending the ceremony."

Separately, the Prince's staff have made clear he will not be attending the Games at any stage during the summer.

Although the letter avoids backing the group's position on the Games, the Free Tibet Campaign welcomed the decision, with which it intends to launch a campaign to persuade other prominent figures not to attend in protest at Chinese policies.

"We welcome Prince Charles's decision to stay away from the Games, and call on other public figures and politicians to follow suit," said Matt Whitticase, a Free Tibet Campaign spokesman.

"The deterioration of the human rights situation in Tibet and China since the Games were awarded is deplorable and can only mean that these Games rightly are destined to be known as the Games of shame."

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