By: The royal editor of the nation's biggest selling newspaper has admitted to mobile phone hacking charges against the office of Prince Charles in a London court.
News of the World reporter Clive Goodman, 48, pleaded guilty Wednesday to plotting to intercept private phone messages at a hearing at the Central Criminal Court.
Police launched an investigation in December last year when three staff at Clarence House, Prince Charles's official London residence, contacted them about alleged repeated security breaches on its telephone network.
Goodman's lawyer told the court Wednesday that the Sunday tabloid journalist wanted to apologise to Charles and his two sons.
"He wishes through me to take the first opportunity to apologise publicly to those affected by his actions," John Kelsey-Fry told the judge.
"He accepts they were a gross invasion of privacy and Mr Goodman accepts that this characterisation is correct.
"He therefore apologises unreservedly to the three members of the royal household staff concerned and their principals, Prince William, Prince Harry and the Prince of Wales (Charles)."
London's Metropolitan Police had searched a number of addresses, including the offices of News International, the British subsidiary of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. empire, which owns the News of the World.
Anti-terrorist officers -- called in because of the potential security risks to the royal family -- were said to have been looking at whether other public figures may also have had their mobile telephones tapped.
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