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20/11/2003
Royals to take legal action over Mirror exposé
The Daily Mirror journalist who exposed a series of security failures at Buckingham Palace is to face legal from the royal household.
The royals will take the action claiming that Ryan Parry, as a former employee, was bound by a confidentiality agreement – of which his world exclusive would have been in breach.
A petition will also be made to the High Court to prevent the Daily Mirror from publishing any more material on the matter. Today's Mirror frontpage shows Mr Parry walking the Queen's corgis in the grounds of Buckingham Palace. Mr Parry also alleges that he learned from palace employees that the Prime Minister's recent heart problem was not his first.
Some of the material published in the newspaper has not dealt strictly with security issues, and the private habits and lifestyles of senior royals have been included – down to the revelation that the Queen is served her porridge from a Tupperware container at breakfast.
Reporter Ryan Parry spent two months undercover in the Queen's London residence – employed on the basis of a CV containing inaccuracies – which gave him direct access to all the senior royals.
He claimed that lax security had allowed him direct access to senior royals, including the Queen, before he quit the palace on Tuesday night. He had been scheduled to serve breakfast to US administration officials such as US Secretary of State Colin Powell and National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice today.
Mr Parry claimed that had a terrorist been admitted to the royal household in the manner that he had been, an assassination attempt could have been made on the Queen and President Bush with "absolute ease".
It has cost the taxpayer around £5 million to supply security during the three-day state visit – which involves 5,000 officers, police sharp shooters and 250 US secret service agents.
The journalist had been employed as footman in the royal household since August. He left on Tuesday night – shortly after the presidential entourage arrived.
Mr Parry recounted how on numerous occasions he had access to the royals' private quarters, and prepared and served food to the Queen and other senior members of the household. He was rarely searched and his fake references were never checked, he said.
(gmcg)
The royals will take the action claiming that Ryan Parry, as a former employee, was bound by a confidentiality agreement – of which his world exclusive would have been in breach.
A petition will also be made to the High Court to prevent the Daily Mirror from publishing any more material on the matter. Today's Mirror frontpage shows Mr Parry walking the Queen's corgis in the grounds of Buckingham Palace. Mr Parry also alleges that he learned from palace employees that the Prime Minister's recent heart problem was not his first.
Some of the material published in the newspaper has not dealt strictly with security issues, and the private habits and lifestyles of senior royals have been included – down to the revelation that the Queen is served her porridge from a Tupperware container at breakfast.
Reporter Ryan Parry spent two months undercover in the Queen's London residence – employed on the basis of a CV containing inaccuracies – which gave him direct access to all the senior royals.
He claimed that lax security had allowed him direct access to senior royals, including the Queen, before he quit the palace on Tuesday night. He had been scheduled to serve breakfast to US administration officials such as US Secretary of State Colin Powell and National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice today.
Mr Parry claimed that had a terrorist been admitted to the royal household in the manner that he had been, an assassination attempt could have been made on the Queen and President Bush with "absolute ease".
It has cost the taxpayer around £5 million to supply security during the three-day state visit – which involves 5,000 officers, police sharp shooters and 250 US secret service agents.
The journalist had been employed as footman in the royal household since August. He left on Tuesday night – shortly after the presidential entourage arrived.
Mr Parry recounted how on numerous occasions he had access to the royals' private quarters, and prepared and served food to the Queen and other senior members of the household. He was rarely searched and his fake references were never checked, he said.
(gmcg)
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Liverpool Confirms Parry Will Depart Club
Liverpool FC Chief Executive Rick Parry is to leave his post at the end of the season, after 12 years with the club. His departure - "by mutual consent" - was confirmed today on the Reds' website. The 54-year-old will stay on until the end of the season to ensure a "smooth transition" can take place.
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