A report says that Britain’s Princess Royal is to be invited to the House of Commons to make the case for London staging the 2012 Summer Olympic Games.
It’s a first, because until now members of the Royal Family have never appeared before a parliamentary select committee because of protocol that forbids them intervening in politics.
But members of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee have decided to ask the Princess to attend a two-day hearing at which it will debate the merits of launching the Olympic bid.
They say that the Princess, as president of the British Olympic Association, is an appropriate witness. She is also one of the three British members of the International Olympic Committee.
A spokesman for Buckingham Palace said it had not yet received the invitation but the Princess had a “busy diary” for the two days allocated to the hearing.
Meanwhile Britain has three stages to go through this month before any decision is made about an Olympic bid.
First, the results of a special opinion poll will be published by the government in which thousands of voters around the country were asked if they would support a London 2012 bid.
Following that is a brief inquiry on January 14 by the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee.
Then British Prime Minister Tony Blair will announce whether the government will support a London 2012 bid.
