Prince Charles wrote to Tony Blair in 'black spider' letters

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'Black spider' memos reveal how Charles wrote to Tony Blair about concerns over resources in Iraq war
He feared defence budget cuts would delay overhaul of Lynx helicopters
Publication follows decade-long legal fight for missives to be made public
Government has spent £274,481.16 on legal fees to try to block publication
27 notes contain 'full and frank' expression of Prince's 'most deeply-held views' on farming, bovine TB, alternative medicine and housing
Letters will raise questions over future king's influence on changing policy
Scroll down to read Charles's letters - and ministers' responses - in full

By Steph Cockroft and Matt Chorley, MailOnline Political Editor and Tom Mctague, Deputy Political Editor and Stephanie Linning for MailOnline

Published: 10:05 EST, 13 May 2015 | Updated: 14:29 EST, 13 May 2015

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Secret letters sent by Prince Charles (pictured today arriving at the Marks & Spencer store on Oxford Street) to ministers have finally been made public

Prince Charles sent a series of secret letters to former Prime Minister Tony Blair expressing his concern over the lack of resources for Armed Forces fighting in Iraq.

In one of 27 'black spider' memos uncovered today after a decade-long legal battle, the heir to the throne complained that British forces were 'being asked to do an extremely challenging job without the necessary resources'.

The Prince, who will be head of the Armed Forces when he is king, expressed fears to Mr Blair in a four-page missive that cuts to the defence budget would delay the overhaul of the 'poor performance' Lynx helicopter, an aircraft fleet used by troops during the conflict.

In a bid to air concerns on some of his other pet projects, Charles also sent a series of letters to Whitehall departments, including health and education, about issues as wide-ranging as herbal medicine, bovine TB - and the illegal fishing of the Patagonian toothfish.

The memos, which were sent to ministers between 2004 and 2005, which was during Tony Blair's spell as Prime Minister, could now raise questions over whether the future king successfully lobbied to influence government policy.

As the missives were uncovered, Clarence House defended the Prince's right to 'private communication' and said the publication 'can only inhibit his ability to express the concerns and suggestions which have been put to him in the course of his travels and meetings'.

The Prince's principal private secretary William Nye added that the publication of the letter bundle would not stop him expressing his views to ministers in the future.

He said: 'He will think about how he deals with things but I think he'll continue to want to reflect the views that he hears from members of the public, and talk about things that matter to our society and the world to ministers of any government.'

The letters, all typed on royal household mastheads, reveal how:

Prince Charles contacted Tony Blair in 2004 over his concerns about a lack of resources for the Armed Forces in Iraq and particularly the 'poor performance' of the Lynx helicopter;
He also sent a barrage of correspondence to Mr Blair over seven-month period pushing for a cull of Britain's badgers and describing opponents as 'intellectually dishonest'
In 2004, he complained over modern teaching methods and extolled the virtues of his Summer Schools when writing to Education Secretary Charles Clarke
The future king also asked the then Prime Minister to 'bring pressure' on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs over the bureaucratic burden on farmers;
In a letter to Mr Blair in February 2005, he voiced support for 'alternative' medicines, describing a regulation to restrict practitioners as being like 'using a sledgehammer to crack a nut'
He also penned a note to Environment Minister Elliot Morley in October 2004 in which he involved himself in the illegal fishing of the Patagonian toothfish
During a 2005 missive, he even made an ironic comment about his reluctance to put issues in writing to Mr Blair because of the Freedom of Information Act
In a letter to Health Secretary John Reid in February 2005 which shared his concerns over the future of hospital sites, he acknowledged that he was 'at risk of being a complete bore'

Scroll down to read Prince Charles's letters and ministers' responses in full

On headed paper for Birkhall, on the Balmoral estate, Prince Charles wrote a letter to Tony Blair in which he expressed his concerns over the lack of resources for the Armed Forces in Iraq

There was a decade-long battle to have the letters (pictured here) made public following a Freedom of Information request by the Guardian newspaper

In a lengthy letter written to Mr Blair in September 2004, the Prince of Wales spoke highly of the Army Air Corp's Oxbow surveillance equipment which he had seen in Northern Ireland, describing it as a 'major advance'.

But he criticised the existing Lynx aircraft being used globally to carry it, claiming its 'poor performance' hindered the use of the surveillance methods.

He wrote: 'The procurement of a new aircraft to replace the Lynx is subject to further delays and uncertainty due to the significant pressure on the Defence Budget.

'I fear this is just one more example of where our Armed Forces are being asked to do an extremely challenging job (particularly in Iraq) without the necessary resources.'

In a typed reply the following month, Mr Blair acknowledged the 'extremely challenging environment within Iraq' adding that the 'limitations of the existing platform were recognised by the Ministry of Defence'.

He added: 'Nevertheless, we do have four Lynx Mk9 helicopters from 1 Regiment Army Air Corps deployed alongside Chinook and Puma with the Joint Helicopter Force (Iraq) and, as necessary, we do seek to improve the surveillance capabilities available to our deployed forces.'

Both Mr Blair and the heir to the throne signed their letters - none of which contain the black, scrawled handwriting which gave the letters the nickname 'black spider' - to one another 'Yours ever'.

Further correspondence between the pair makes reference to issues of farming and bovine TB.

In a letter in February 2005, Prince Charles even made an ironic comment about his reluctance to put issues in writing to Mr Blair because of the Freedom of Information Act - the legislation which eventually led to the notes being made public.

He said: 'It was very good to see you again the other day and, as usual, I much enjoyed the opportunity to talk about a number of issues. You kindly suggested that it would be helpful it I put them in writing - despite the Freedom of Information Act!'

The typed letters between the Prince and the then Prime Minister Tony Blair cover a range of subjects including Iraq, farming and bovine TB. Here they are pictured together in 2007 at a parade to commemorate the anniversary of the end of the Falklands War

And in another deeply private comment in a letter to then health secretary John Reid in February 2005 over hospital sites, he writes that he is at risk of becoming 'a complete bore'.

The revelations over Prince Charles's involvement in policy have prompted calls for a referendum on whether he should take over as monarch when the Queen dies.

Paul Flynn, a Labour MP and member of the Commons public administration committee, said the letters show Charles is 'unfit' for the job of monarch.

He said: 'The prime qualification for a royal head of state is political impartiality. Charles has proved himself to be the mouthpiece of sensible views, eccentric views, and barmy views.

'These letters show Charles's unsuitability for the role, as he lacks his mother's restraint in not speaking for 60 years on controversial issues.'

But Michael Ellis, a Tory MP and constitutional expert, said the letters showed he was 'passionate about many issues that the British people care about' including the welfare of the armed forces - and the plight of the Patagonian toothfish.

In the same letter to Mr Blair, Prince Charles also said that 'pressure' the Prime Minister could put on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in respect to bureaucracy for farmers would be 'much appreciated'.

He said: 'I have raised with you on a number of occasions the importance of reducing the bureaucratic and administrative burden on farmers and you have been most reassuring in your replies.

'Suffice it to say that any pressure which you can bring to bear on DEFRA through the Panel for Regulatory Accountability which you told me you are chairing, would be much appreciated.

'Vigilance is essential to help officials resist returning to type!'

Meanwhile, in other correspondence released today, Prince Charles used letters to complain about modern teaching methods.

Admitting to successive education secretaries that he had 'old-fashioned views', he wrote to Charles Clarke in November 2004 extolling the virtues of his Summer Schools to 'bridge a gap' in the teaching of English and History.

Prince Charles wrote to Mr Blair about the 'poor performance' of the Lynx MK7 helicopter, which was used by British troops during the Iraq war

'My summer schools are also challenging the fashionable view that teachers should not impart bodes of knowledge, but should instead act as 'facilitators' or 'coaches', a notion which I find difficult to understand, I must admit,' he wrote.

But even the heir to the throne was forced to wait for a response, finally being replied to by new Education Secretary Ruth Kelly who sent a letter three months later.

In a letter to Ms Kelly, the Prince repeated that 'the current approaches to teaching and learning need to be challenged'.

She told him that 'after some consideration', the department was 'not in a position to provide direct funding for ongoing programmes of continuing professional development and initial teacher training such as those proposed in the Feasibility Study.'

Prince Charles' letters are discussed in Supreme Court

Goodbye: Written in his scrawling hand, Prince Charles signs off this letter to Tony Blair from February 2005

The Prince also carried out correspondence with environment, food and rural affairs minister Elliot Morley on the subject of illegal fishing and the High Seas Task Force Mr Morley was chairing to tackle the problem.

In October 2004, he wrote to the minister: 'I must say it is enormously encouraging to know of your efforts to try and bring to heel the recalcitrant countries who sanction, either directly or by turning a blind eye, pirate and illegal fishing'.

In a comment which has led to much derision on the internet this afternoon, he added: 'I particularly hope that the illegal fishing of the Patagonian toothfish will be high on your list of priorities because until that trade is stopped, there is little hope for the poor old albatross, for which I will continue to campaign.'

Charles had been raising concerns about the plight of albatrosses for years, thousands of which were dying each year due to illegal fishing, and his concern increased as more albatross species came closer to extinction, Clarence House said.

In this letter to the former Prime Minister on 24 February 2005, Prince Charles even made an ironic comment about his reluctance to put issues in writing to Mr Blair because of the Freedom of Information Act

In the letter he also raised the issue of whether the Royal Navy could play a role in tackling illegal fishing and said he was looking forward to the publication of a Royal Commission report on sustainable fishing, writing: 'I hear on my own grapevine that it may be quite hard-hitting.'

HOW THE LEGAL BATTLE OVER 'BLACK SPIDER' LETTERS RAGED ON

The secret 'black spider' letters have finally been unveiled after a decade-long legal battle for the memos to be made public.

The legal tussle began in 2005, when Guardian journalist Rob Evans submitted a request for letters exchanged between Prince Charles and government ministers to be published under the newly-created Freedom of Information Act.

But when Whitehall refused the request, it sparked a ten-year battle which ended up being heard in front of 16 judges, from the lowest court in the country, to the highest court in the land.

Whitehall's refusal to publish the letters was initially upheld by the Information Commissioner in 2009.

But, in September 2012, the Government was ordered to disclose the missives after three judges ruled in favour of the journalist, who appealed the decision.

Following the victory, seven Whitehall departments were ordered to release the correspondence over a seven-month period.

But just one month later, the Attorney General Dominic Grieve used a veto under the act to stop the letters being published.

Undeterred, the Guardian newspaper appealed the decision. In July 2013, High Court judges upheld the AG's decision to block the public disclosure.

But in a dramatic twist in March last year, the Court of Appeal ruled that the ministerial veto had been unlawful.

The following month, the Supreme Court, UK's highest court refused to overturn the ruling, paving the way for the publication of Charles's letters - after nine years.

The letters have now been published - on the proviso that some personal names and information is redacted - by the Cabinet Office.

As of March last year, more than a quarter of a million pounds (£274,481.16) had been spent by the Government on legal fees to try to block the publication of the letters.

The money was spent by eight government departments as former attorney general Dominic Grieve tried to block their publication, claiming it would undermine the principle of the heir to the throne being politically neutral.

The real cost is likely to be much higher due to ongoing legal wrangling over the letters since March 2014, when these figures were published.

'Let us hope that between all of us who mind about sustainable fishing, we can make a difference before it is all too late,' he wrote.

In correspondence with the education secretaries, the Prince of Wales also discussed healthy eating in schools and professional development for teachers.

One two-page letter refers to a visit by Charles to schools in South Gloucestershire and the impact that a good diet can have on youngsters.

The document, written by then-education secretary Charles Clarke on September 7 2004 to the Prince, thanks Charles for his letter of August 2 that year - which has not been released - and apologises for a delay in responding.

In a snivelling sign off, Mr Clarke ends the letter saying: 'I have the honour to be, Sir, Your Royal HIghness's most humble and obedient servant.'

In further correspondence from 2004, Patricia Hewitt, then secretary of state for trade and industry, wrote to Charles about her meeting with the chief executive of the charity he helped set up, In Kind Direct.

In the letters she said she could not help by giving funding directly to In Kind Direct, but would try to assist them by introducing them to other public sector bodies and Government colleagues.

Charles wrote back to Ms Hewitt the following month, thanking her for her efforts and saying if there was no success with Corporate Challenge, one of the Government initiatives introduced to his charity, the minister may be hearing from him again.

Among the correspondence were also letters sent to Mr Blair and then-health secretary John Reid in 2005 on the subject of herbal medicine when the Department of Health was considering regulation of herbal medicine and acupuncture, following a European directive.

Charles had a long-held belief that complementary approaches are an essential part of any healthcare system, as long as they are safely and effectively delivered.

Charles also complained to Mr Blair about the Office of Fair Trading, writing: 'Unfortunately, I am told that the Office of Fair Trading is becoming a serious obstacle to developing dairy co-operatives of the necessary size and influence.

'As I understand it, it sees the United Kingdom as ring-fenced with the Channel acting as a barrier to imports, which is, of course, ridiculous.'

He added that Mr Blair had said he would look at the matter and 'see if there was anything which could be done to help the O.F.T to take a wider view'.

Mr Blair, in his letter of response dated October 11, 2004, reminds the Prince of the OFT's independence.

'Of course, as you recognise, they are rightly an independent body and I couldn't influence them even if I wanted to,' the then prime minister wrote.

The Prince of Wales, a self-confessed 'busybody' had long been accused of bombarding ministers with the letters, in an attempt to influence policy on his pet projects, such as the environment, farming, the countryside, GM crops and complementary medicine.

The accusations came after it emerged that the Princes had penned the missives to Whitehall departments over a seven-month period to expound his 'full and frank' expressions of his 'most deeply held views' .

The letters - given the nickname due to his scrawling handwriting and abundant use of underlining and exclamation marks - were sent to seven departments between September 2004 to April 2005, including Business, Innovation and Skills; Health; Children, Schools and Families; Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Culture, Media and Sport; the Northern Ireland Office and the Cabinet Office.

Today's publication, which threatened to cause mayhem in the royal household, contains 27 letters, the majority of which are either replies to him or written his staff or Government officials.

Fewer than 10 of the letters were written by the Prince himself and are typewritten, without any of the 'black spider' handwriting which led to their nickname.

Before their release, his staff were said to be 'sanguine' about their publication, with the Prince's closet advisers convinced that the letters contained 'no bombshells'.

'They are much more boring than people think they are,' the source had said.

But senior royal sources also insisted that the future king had no regrets about acting as an 'advocate' for his people simply trying to shine a light on issues raised with him by members of the general public.

Education Charles Clarke ended his letter to Prince Charles on 7 September 2004 with this snivelling sign off

The release of the letter follows a ten-year tussle between the Government and The Guardian newspaper, which used the Freedom of Information Act to apply for 27 letters written by the Prince to senior politicians to be released.

In 2012, the Attorney General Dominic Grieve employed a rarely-used ministerial veto to block publication under Section 53 of the FOI Act.

He warned that the letters 'contain remarks about public affairs which would in my view, if revealed, have had a material effect upon the willingness of the government to engage in correspondence with the Prince of Wales, and would potentially have undermined his position of political neutrality'.

He said this would be 'seriously damaging to his role as future monarch because, if he forfeits his position of political neutrality… he cannot easily recover it when he is king'.

Mr Grieve also described the views expressed in the letters as 'particularly frank' interventions on public policy in the letters.

That veto was challenged by The Guardian in the Supreme Court which ruled earlier this year, by a majority of five to two, that the government did not have a right to overrule a decision taken by the courts.

It was very good to see you again the other day and, as usual, I much enjoyed the opportunity to talk about a number of issues. You kindly suggested that it would be helpful it I put them in writing - despite the Freedom of Information Act!

In a letter to Tony Blair in February 2005, Prince Charles revealed his reluctance to put thoughts in writing because of the FOI

The decision included the proviso that the material could be published subject to any 'provisional redactions' to protect personal data of people other than Charles.

At the time of the Supreme Court decision in March, the Prime Minister expressed his disappointment with the ruling, while Charles' office said: 'Clarence House is disappointed the principle of privacy has not been upheld.'

But they are probably the only letters which will ever he released due to a change in the law has which now makes correspondence by senior members of the Royal Family exempt from FOI requests.

Under Britain's unwritten but long-standing constitution, the royal family is supposed to remain politically neutral.

Queen Elizabeth has kept her opinions to herself during her 63-year reign, in line with convention that British monarchs can only encourage, warn and be consulted by the Government of the day.

But, as a self-confessed 'interfering busybody', Charles has become renowned for expressing his strong views on a huge variety of issues and has written letters to ministers as far back as 1969.

It raises questions about the role Charles will play when he succeeds his mother as king.

Last month, Labour peer John Prescott released two letters written to him by Prince Charles in an attempt to defend the future king over allegations he tried to secretly influence government.

Insisting he should have the right to 'write as many damn letters as he likes', Lord Prescott published extracts from the letters, including one expressing his sadness at the death of the Labour politician's mother.

Last month, Labour peer John Prescott (left) released two letters written to him by Prince Charles (right) in an attempt to defend the future king over allegations he tried to secretly influence government

The Labour peer said the notes proved 'the measure of the man'. He said: 'They show he has nothing to hide and he shouldn't be worried about publication.'

The first letter is a typed invitation to a meeting of Regional Development Agency leaders in 1999. Charles says it would be 'splendid' to see Lord Prescott.

The second is more personal and was written in the Prince's distinctive handwriting in 2003.

It expresses sadness at the death of Lord Prescott's mother. The Prince opens by joking that he has 'been overdoing the quota' of letters to the Deputy PM.

But despite this – and the 'trouble' the press would give him – he goes on to express his sadness and says his 'heart goes out' to the politician.

He added: 'I did receive letters from the prince when I was in government but they had no effect on any policy. People say he shouldn't be writing to ministers but he's quite entitled to express his opinion.

'Politicians are lobbied all the time by individuals and groups and none of them would allow a letter – even from Prince Charles – to unduly influence them.'

How Charles railed against the 'intellectually dishonest badger lobby' that stopped ministers ordering a cull

In this letter from Prince Charles on 24 February 2005, the former Prime Minister was urged to 'look again at introducing a proper cull' and not to give in to the 'badger lobby'

Tony Blair received a barrage of correspondence from the Prince pushing for a cull of Britain's badgers to stop the spread of TB in cattle.

The former Prime Minister was urged to 'look again at introducing a proper cull' and not to give in to the 'badger lobby'.

Prince Charles said it was 'intellectually dishonest' for anyone to object to a cull because 'all the evidence' showed it slashed TB infection rates.

Badger culling is one of the most controversial areas of environmental policy and was only finally introduced by the Coalition government after years of bitter political wrangling over the issue.

But the Prince refused to remain out of the political fray, lobbying the Prime Minster directly on the issue.

He wrote: 'It was very good to see you again the other day and, as usual, I much enjoyed the opportunity to talk about a number of issues.

'You kindly suggested that it would be helpful if I put them in writing – despite the Freedom of Information Act!

'We discussed at some length the agricultural situation. The most pressing and urgent problem is, without doubt, the rising number of T.B. cases in cattle.

'And I think I mentioned, T.B. is affecting 5,000 farms each year, 20,000 head of cattle are being slaughtered and the cost to the taxpayer is £100 million annually.

'As you know all the evidence is that T.B. I caused and spread by badgers.

'You said that you were aware of the recent study in the Republic of Ireland which proved that badger culling is effective in ridding cattle of T.B. – in Donegal, for instance, by the fifth year of the trial there was a 96 per cent reduction of cattle infection in the badger 'removal' areas.'

The Prince added: 'I do urge you to look again at introducing a proper cull of badgers where it is necessary'.

He added: 'I, for one, cannot understand how the 'badger lobby' seem to mind not at all about the slaughter of thousands of expensive cattle, and yet object to a managed cull of an over-population of badgers – to me, this is intellectually dishonest.'

'At the risk of being a complete bore about this…' How Charles raised concerns about the future of hospital sites

In this letter to Health Secretary John Reid on 24 February 2005, the prince raised concerns about delays in redeveloping the site of Cherry Knowle hospital in Sunderland, apologising for sounding 'like a bore'

In 2004 and 2005 the Prince lobbied health ministers over redevelopment of hospital sites, including Cherry Knowle in Sunderland.

In a letter to Health Secretary John Reid on 24 February 2005, he raised concerns about delays in redeveloping the site, after his Foundation was involved in an 'Enquiry By Design'.

'I have hesitated to bother you too much on this issue, and on the wider one of the disposal of one hundred NHS hospital sites, but I feel now is the time to return to the fray!

'… I hope you will forgive my persistence on this issue, but despite your helpful updates, the log-jam to which I referred in my letter of last August shows little sign of alleviation and it sadness me greatly to think that the immense progress and collective enthusiasm gathered twelve months ago is now in danger of being lost.

'I think you will know by now – to your cost! -= that these are matters about which I care deeply…

'At the risk of being a complete bore about this, I do pray that we could discuss these matters more fully before irrecoverable decisions are taken which could sacrifice the long-term value to be gained from the sympathetic and 'integrated' use of assets.'

Prince complained about modern teaching methods - and then waited THREE MONTHS for a reply after writing to Charles Clarke

Admitting he has 'old-fashioned views', Prince Charles wrote this letter Education Secretary Charles Clarke on 24 November 2004 extolling the virtues of his Summer Schools - but had to wait three months for a reply

Prince Charles used letters to successive Education Secretaries to complain about modern teaching methods.

Admitting he has 'old-fashioned views', he wrote to Education Secretary Charles Clarke on 24 November 2004 extolling the virtues of his Summer Schools.

He said the schools had 'identified a gap in the teaching of English and History and, I might add, have set about bridging it'.

It was three months before he got a reply, from new Education Secretary Ruth Kelly who told him that 'after some consideration, in terms of financial support, we are not in a position to provide direct funding for ongoing programmes of continuing professional development and initial teacher training such as those proposed in the Feasibility Study.'

In a letter to Ms Kelly, the Prince repeated that 'the current approaches to teaching and learning need to be challenged'.

Homeopathy, acupuncture and other 'alternative medicines': How Charles lobbied at the highest levels for 'complimentary' health cures

The prince as long ignored academic ridicule to publicly voice his support for homeopathy and other 'alternative' medicines - but this letter to Tony Blair on 24 February 2005 shows how he lobbied for its use

Prince Charles has long ignored academic ridicule to publicly voice his support for homeopathy, acupuncture and other 'alternative' medicines.

But the release of today's letters reveals the extent to which the heir to the throne lobbied at the very highest levels for their use.

The Prince described a European regulation to restrict practitioners of herbal medicine as like 'using a sledgehammer to crack a nut'.

Writing to the former Prime Minister Tony Blair on February 24, 2005, the prince was strongly against the 2004 directive, which left many practitioners unregulated forcing a number of products to disappear from the market.

Referring to a previous conversation he had with the Labour leader, he wrote: 'We briefly mentioned the European Union Directive on Herbal Medicines, which is having such a deleterious effect on the complementary medicine sector in this country by effectively outlawing the use of certain herbal extracts.

I think we both agreed this was using a sledgehammer to crack a nut

Prince Charles on European Union Directive on Herbal Medicines

'I think we both agreed this was using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

'You rightly asked me what could be done about it and I am asking the Chief Executive of my Foundation for Integrated Health to provide a more detailed briefing which I hope to be able to sent shortly so that your advisers can look at it.'

In his letter, which also covered many other topics, Charles continued that he would ask the chief executive of his controversial charity, the Foundation for Integrated Health (FIH), to 'provide a more detailed briefing' on the EU directive, which he would send on to the prime minister's advisers to look at.

The FIH was set up to promote an integrated approach to health, including the use of complementary therapies, but came under fire from some critics for allegedly promoting 'unscientific' approaches to health care.

Its planned closure was brought forward in 2010 following a police inquiry that led to senior official George Gray being jailed for three years after admitting stealing £250,000 from the charity.

He signs off the note with a scrawled note 'I apologise for the length of this letter.'

Health ministers were also lobbied by the Prince about the use of herbal medicine and acupuncture.

A letter sent to Clarence House by Health Secretary John Reid on 11 February 2005 refers to their 'previous discussions on integrated health' and included a 'not on the outcome of the Department's recent consultation document on the statutory regulation of herbal medicine and acupuncture'.

Mr Reid stressed that the majority of responses to a consultation showed 'strong support for my Department's proposals to introduce statutory regulation for herbal medicine and acupuncture, in order to ensure patient and public protection and enhance the status of the herbal medicine and acupuncture professions'.

A Clarence House spokesman said: 'The Prince of Wales has long believed that complementary approaches are an essential part of any healthcare system, as long as they are safely and effectively delivered, are evidence-based, and are properly integrated with any conventional treatments.

'Along with many practitioners and patients, His Royal Highness has been keen to encourage the development of an appropriate regulatory regime with the dual purpose of preserving choice of practitioner and product, while also maximising patient safety.'

The 'illegal fishing of the Patagonian toothfish': How no issue was too small for Prince Charles

In this letter to Environment Minister Elliot Morley dated 21 October 2004, the prince discusses illegal fishing

Prince Charles's comments over the Patagonian toothfish (pictured) have created quite a stir - and was even trending on Twitter

The Patagonian tootfish emerged as the unlikely star of Prince Charles' letters - sparking an online storm after it was mentioned in one of the memos.

In a note penned a note to Environment Minister Elliot Morley in 2004, the royal called on the illegal fishing of the toothfish - a species of cod icefish found in oceans in the southern hemisphere - to be made a 'high priority for the government'.

In October 2004, he wrote to the environment minister Elliot Morley encouraging him to 'bring to heel the recalcitrant countries who sanction, either directly or by turning a blind eye, pirate and illegal fishing'.

He added: 'I particularly hope that the illegal fishing of the Patagonian toothfish will be high on your list of priorities because until that trade is stopped, there is little hope for the poor old albatross, for which I will continue to campaign.'

Within hours of the letters being published, the little-known fish became the centre of a social media storm, with thousands taking to Twitter to post about it.

One user sarcastically wrote she had spent 'many a sleepless night' worrying about it, another suggested it could be a euphemism.

Others pointed out that Charles' black spider memo had now actually achieved its desired effect - raising awareness of the plight of the species.

Prince Charles, a self-confessed 'busybody', wrote up to 1,000 letters a year on issues ranging from GM food to architecture

The Prince of Wales admits he is an 'inveterate interferer and meddler' and his ardent opinions have been fully and freely aired over the years.

The environment, farming, the countryside, GM crops and complementary medicine have all provoked comment by the future king during his lengthy stint as Britain's longest-serving heir apparent.

Former aide Mark Bolland claimed in 2006 that the Prince even saw himself as a 'dissident' working against current political opinion.

Charles has become renowned for expressing his strong views on a huge variety of issues and has written letters to ministers as far back as 1969 (in the year he is pictured, above)

A glimpse into Charles's correspondence with ministers came in 2006 when it was reported that he had lobbied against the Human Rights Act in a series of letters.

He was said to have written the word 'rubbish' on a response he received in 2001 from Lord Irvine of Lairg, then the lord chancellor, who defended the Act.

The Times reported that the Prince wrote to Lord Irvine and warned him there would be an increase in litigation in organisations such as the armed forces and the police because of the Act, which came into effect in 2000.

In 2002, a leaked letter to then-prime minister Tony Blair ahead of a large pro-hunt march in London showed that the Prince had relayed a Cumbrian farmer's view that the campaigners were being treated worse than other minorities.

'If we, as a group, were black or gay we would not be victimised or picked on,' was the reported comment.

His letter-writing led to him being dubbed 'Angry of Windsor' and the 'Prince of Wails' by the newspapers.

In 2004, in an open letter to delegates attending the Association of Colleges' annual conference in Birmingham, he launched a scathing attack on education experts who he claimed focused on the economic benefits of teaching rather than the joy of learning.

An example of Prince Charles's 'black spider' handwriting has previously been revealed in this August 2000 letter from Lord Irvine, Tony Blair's mentor and later the Lord Chancellor, which the Prince heavily annotated

'I simply do not believe that passion for subject or skill, combined with inspiring teaching, can be replaced by computer-driven modules, which seem to occupy a disproportionate amount of current practice,' Charles said.

In 2005, he warned it was wrong to knock down old buildings when they could be restored more economically - a comment that came amid plans by John Prescott, the then-deputy prime minister, to demolish up to 400,000 homes in the Midlands and the North.

Charles's views on architecture have often been a source of controversy.

Speaking in 1984 about the proposed National Gallery extension, he said: 'What is proposed is like a monstrous carbuncle on the face of a much-loved and elegant friend.'

Following his comment, the plan was changed.

In May 2009, he became embroiled in a row concerning a development at Chelsea Barracks.

The Prince contacted representatives of the Qatari royal family, who own the London site, suggesting that Richard Rogers's designs for a £1 billion housing scheme on the site of the former barracks were 'unsympathetic' and 'unsuitable'.

HOW PRINCE CHARLES HAS COMPLAINED ABOUT PUBLIC MATTERS SINCE 1984 LEADING HIM TO BE DESCRIBED AS 'THE PRINCE OF WAILS'

1984: Prince Charles said plans for the proposed National Gallery extension were like 'a monstrous carbuncle on the face of a much-loved and elegant friend'. The plan was changed.
2002: In a leaked letter to then-prime minister Tony Blair, the Prince relayed a message from a Cumbrian farmer that fox-hunting campaigners were being treated worse than other minorities and that 'if we, as a group, were black or gay we would not be victimised or picked on'.
2004: The Prince he launched a scathing attack on education experts in an open letter to delegates attending a conference in Birmingham, saying that 'computer-driven modules' occupied 'a disproportionate amount of current practice'.
2005: As John Prescott planned to demolish up to 400,000 homes, the future king warned it was wrong to knock down old buildings when they could be restored more economically.
2008: The Prince declared, referring to his involvement in a restoration project in Bradford: 'Being an inveterate interferer and meddler, I couldn't possibly stand back and do nothing.'
2009: He contacted representatives of the Qatari royal family, which owned the Chelsea Barracks due for redevelopment, calling the £1bn 'unsympathetic' and 'unsuitable'.
In the end, developers withdrew their planning application.

In his private letter to Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim, he said his 'heart sank' when he saw the design.

He was criticised by architects for threatening the democratic process and using his privileged position to have his say on the design.

In the end, Charles, who later met the Emir of Qatar, won the battle when the developers withdrew their planning application.

During the foot-and-mouth disease crisis of 2001, the Prince attempted to prevent the cull of cattle.

The then-National Farmers Union leader Sir Ben Gill revealed it was Charles who was behind the biggest push for vaccination.

In 2008, the Prince declared frankly, referring to his involvement in a restoration project in Bradford: 'Being an inveterate interferer and meddler, I couldn't possibly stand back and do nothing.'

Charles, who often refers to his so-called meddling in his speeches, has frequently faced criticism over his contact with the government.

Questions have been raised as to how his outspoken opinions will feature when he becomes king.

Sources close to Charles have suggested he will break with tradition and make 'heartfelt interventions' in national life when he becomes monarch.

The Guardian reported in November that Charles would not follow his mother's discretion on public affairs, but instead speak his mind on issues such as the environment.

One source told the newspaper: 'Rather than a complete reinvention to become a monarch in the mould of his mother, the strategy will be to try and continue with his heartfelt interventions, albeit checking each for tone and content to ensure it does not damage the monarchy.

'Speeches will have to pass the following test: would it seem odd because the Queen wouldn't have said it, or would it seem dangerous?'

A new unauthorised biography of Charles by editor-at-large of Time magazine Catherine Mayer said the Prince was planning to introduce a 'potential new model of kingship' but that the Queen was concerned about the potential style of the monarchy under her son.

But the Prince's senior aide, principal private secretary William Nye, came to his defence, saying the heir to the throne understood 'the necessary and proper limitations' on the role of a constitutional monarch.

'THE LETTERS CAN ONLY INHIBIT HIS ABILITY TO EXPRESS CONCERNS': HOW CLARENCE HOUSE RESPONDED TO PUBLICATION OF LETTERS

'The correspondence published by the Government today shows the range of The Prince of Wales' concerns and interests for this country and the wider world. The twenty-seven letters (ten from His Royal Highness, fourteen from Ministers and three from Private Secretaries) were written between September 2004 and March 2005.

'The Prince of Wales cares deeply about this country, and tries to use his unique position to help others. He has devoted most of his working life to helping individuals and organisations, to make a difference for the better of this country and the world.

'Over the past 40 years in his role as Heir to The Throne, The Prince of Wales has visited countless places and met numerous people from every walk of life. He carries out over 600 engagements a year. This gives him a unique perspective, which has often led to him identifying issues which he believes he, or his charities, or his other connections, can help address. Sometimes this leads him to communicate his experience or, indeed, his concerns or suggestions to Ministers, from all Governments, of whatever party, either in meetings or in writing. Government Ministers have often encouraged him to do so, and many have welcomed The Prince's views and ideas on a range of subjects. There are examples of this in the correspondence that has been made public.

'The letters published by the Government show The Prince of Wales expressing concern about issues that he has raised in public like the state of farming, the preservation and regeneration of historic buildings, the re-use of disused hospital buildings, the professional development of schoolteachers, and others. In all these cases, The Prince of Wales is raising issues of public concern, and trying to find practical ways to address the issues.

'Nonetheless, The Prince of Wales believes, as have successive Governments, that he should have a right to communicate privately. The publication of private letters can only inhibit his ability to express the concerns and suggestions which have been put to him in the course of his travels and meetings. This view has been given effect by Parliament, which passed legislation in 2010 to ensure that the communications of The Prince of Wales, and that of The Queen, should be exempt from publication under the Freedom of Information Act. This change emphasised the unique constitutional positions of the Sovereign and the Heir to the Throne. Clarence House continues to believe in the principle of privacy.'

The letters that show how Prince Charles lobbied Blair's Government on issues ranging from the Iraq War and education to the Patagonia toothfish

Following a decade-long battle, the 27 'black spider memos' – so-called because of the prince's scrawling handwriting – can now be revealed in full. Addressed to secretaries of state and former Prime Minister Tony Blair, they reveal how Prince Charles 'meddled' in everything from climate change to farming issues – and raise questions over whether the future king successfully lobbied to influence government policy.

Letters from Prince Charles to then Prime Minister Tony Blair between 2004 and 2005