An anti-monarchy campaign group has carried out a protest inside the grounds of Windsor Castle demanding an end to “royal secrecy”.
Two Republic members, wearing black bandit eye masks and crowns, unfurled a banner saying “End Royal Secrecy” in front of the Round Tower at Windsor, where the Royal Archives are kept.
The group believes the monarchy should be abolished in favour of an “accountable, transparent, elected head of state”.
Campaigners have criticised the Royal Family for being “very secretive” and “persuading the government to exempt the monarchy from Freedom of Information laws”.
The exemption means “royals can hide official records and evidence of lobbying from the general public”, Republic claimed, adding: “Historic archives going back decades remain under lock and key, while the royals refuse to publish their wills.”
Republic chief executive, Graham Smith, said on Thursday: “Windsor Castle is ground zero for royal secrecy.
“This is where the Royal Archives are hidden away. That’s why we’ve protested here today.”
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Mr Smith also criticised the manner in which the wills of senior royals are not published or open to public scrutiny.
It has been convention for more than a century that, following the death of a senior family member, an application to seal their will is made to the president of the Family Division of the High Court.
‘Archives will shock the public’
Mr Smith added: “The royals keep their wills hidden for decades after one of them dies – while everyone else’s is made public.
“They lobby politicians and government officials, and voters have no idea what they’re saying or the impact it has.”
“Experience tells us the royals will fight to protect their secrets at all costs. They know that their archives and correspondence will shock the public.”
Unique collection of documents
Established in 1914, the Royal Archives are a unique collection of documents relating to the history of the British monarchy over the last 250 years.
Access is granted solely at the discretion of the Keeper of the King’s Archives.
The Archives preserve the personal and official correspondence, including diaries and personal letters, of monarchs from the reign of George III from 1760 to 1820.
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Queen Victoria’s journals were made available online in recent years, with Archive staff working to digitise other documents including records from the Georgian period.
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 does not apply directly to the royal household as it is not considered a public body.
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A YouGov poll conducted in January this year found 45% of 2,089 people surveyed were in favour of a monarchy, while 31% said they would prefer an elected head of state and 24% answered “don’t know”.
The results suggested “the monarchy no longer commands the support of the British people”, Republic said.
