London - Britain's top court on Thursday ruled that secret letters from Prince Charles to government ministries should be published, in a potential setback for the monarchy seen as a victory for media freedoms.
"The Supreme Court dismisses the attorney general's appeal," read the ruling, after the government went to court to prevent the publication of secret letters dubbed the "black spider memos" due to Charles' scrawled handwriting.
The letters have the potential to reinforce Charles' reputation as "The Meddling Prince", a moniker he earned for speaking out on pet topics - at times leading to accusations he overstepped the convention of a politically neutral royal family.