Bishop and the Princess, The

Spectator, The, Jan 11, 2003 by Thompson, Damian

A journalist friend of mine put through eight calls to his office; none was returned and a letter was ignored, so he decided to buttonhole him at a service in St Paul's Cathedral. Knowing a short cut to the Dean's aisle, where Chartres was standing, he caught up with him and asked why his court testimony was at variance with that of the solicitors. The bishop muttered an excuse, and headed for the vestry. My friend's voice rose; he demanded to know. Chartres climbed the vestry steps, turned round and declared: `That's behind us now. I'm not going to say any more.'

So speaks the third most senior bishop in the Church of England; but the journalist in him must know that he has some explaining to do.