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 07 September 2008 03:20 BST

Evening Standard apologises for Prince Philip cancer claim

Friday, 08 Aug 2008 14:25
Evening Standard unreservedly apologises for falsely claiming Prince Philip was suffering from prostate cancer
The Evening Standard has unreservedly apologised for falsely claiming Prince Philip was suffering from prostate cancer.

On Wednesday the London paper said the Duke of Edinburgh, 87, had been diagnosed with cancer while being treated for a chest infection earlier this year.

But in a statement published online and in Friday's editions the paper apologised and admitted the story – headlined "Prince Philip defies cancer scare" - was false.

"In the Evening Standard of August 6th we stated that the Duke of Edinburgh had been diagnosed as suffering from cancer of the prostate," the statement read.

"We now accept that the story was untrue and that he is not suffering from any such condition. We unreservedly apologise both to him and to his family for making this distressing allegation and for breaching his privacy."

Buckingham Palace, which usually does not respond to stories about the health of royal family members, was forced to angrily deny Wednesday's report.

The royal household said the story amounted to a "serious breach" of privacy.

"Buckingham Palace has always maintained that members of the Royal Family have a right to privacy, particularly in relation to their personal health," the statement claimed.

"For this reason, we have always refused to confirm or deny the persistent rumours that circulate about their health, particularly during the quieter news months.

"But on this occasion, because the damaging story is now being reported widely, the Duke of Edinburgh has authorised us to confirm that the claim made by the Evening Standard that he has received a 'diagnosis of prostate cancer' is untrue." End of story


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