The Prince of Wales, then 27, expressed his support to the Governor-General of Australia four months after Whitlam’s government was dismissed. Writing to Sir John Kerr – the Queen’s representative – in March 1976, Charles said: “Please don’t lose heart.
“What you did last year was right and the courageous thing to do – and most Australians seemed to endorse your decision when it came to the point.”
The handwritten letter is the first known statement of support for the sacking by a member of the Royal Family.
It was reported in The Australian newspaper and is revealed in new book The Truth of The Palace Letters: Ambush, Deceit and Dismissal in 1975 by Paul Kelly and Troy Bramston, due to be published next month.
In his letter, Charles said: “I wanted to write and say how much I sympathise with you.”
He also urged Sir John not to worry about the “demonstrations and stupidities” or to become “depressed or dejected”.
Charles said: “I imagine that you must have come in for all sorts of misinformed criticism and prejudice.”
He added that every time he went to a university there was a “demonstration or ‘scene’ of one sort or another”.
The Telegraph reported that a palace source suggested Charles’s letter was a way of ”maintaining good relations with a governor-general who was still in post”, rather than backing the move.
Clarence House declined to comment when contacted by Express.co.uk.
