The Guardian view on Charles's political meddling

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jun/29/prince-charles-grammar-schools-secrecy

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Even steadfast monarchists can't pretend that social mobility is a field where royals enjoy special authority. But, courtesy of David Blunkett, we now know that this has not inhibited Prince Charles from weighing in. More state grammar schools, the former education secretary was told by this pure-bred product of Gordonstoun, were the route to room at the top.

The intervention led nowhere, and follows many others made on behalf of the prince's favoured causes, ranging from climate concern to architectural conservatism. It is none the less remarkable, for it shows that he has been willing to tread closer to lines of left-right contention in private than he would be in public. Homeopathy and organic oats may not be partisan question, but schooling reliably is. In 2014 a new boom in grammars divides Ukip, who are in favour, from all of the others, who all at least hesitate, because of burgeoning evidence that academic selection of young children works to reinforce class segregation.

The real point though, as always with Charles, is not about the merits of this or that case – sometimes he's far-sighted, sometimes reactionary – but rather his failure to grasp the constraints imposed by the kingly destiny which he has embraced. In an interview in Saturday's FT he talked about how it paid to "stick to your guns". On Sunday, a BBC documentary revealed not just the 11-plus advocacy, but also manoeuvres with former ministers Michael Meacher and Peter Hain, respectively, against GM crops and in favour of alternative therapies, which in the former case set him directly against the prime minister of the day. All this is revealed just a month after an unfortunate foray into foreign policy, where – in a room where reporters were present – he saw fit to compare Vladamir Putin with Adolf Hitler.

The bill that a country stuck in a six-year real wage freeze pays for the monarchy rose by an inflation-busting 5.6% last year. This points to the wisdom of the Windsors doing all that they can to avoid losing friends and alienating people, including sometimes keeping stumm when letting off steam is a temptation. Charles feels that temptation particularly keenly, but needs to be doubly careful if he is not to undermine the constitutional monarch role before he gets his crack at it.

To this republican newspaper, it is matter of regret that the country will not have a chance to choose its next head of state on the basis of suitability for the job. But even under a system of appointment by fluke of birth, it is surely as well for the country to be forewarned about what to expect – the case for publishing Charles's still-secret missives to ministers grows ever stronger. The more the public learns about individual instances of princely meddling, the stronger the case for putting the whole picture on record.