His statement came after Charles’s actions were described in an official report as “misguided”.
The scathing findings of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) accused the Church of England of “putting its own reputation above the needs of victims” and offering secrecy and protection for abusers that allowed them to “hide in plain sight”.
It said Ball, a self-styled confidant to Charles, was an example of how a senior member of the Anglican Church “was able to sexually abuse vulnerable teenagers and young men for decades” while victims was largely ignored.
“Clericalism and tribalism” pervaded the Church, the IICSA said, affording offenders protection and resulting in an abuse of power.
On the prince’s role, the report said: “The actions of the Prince of Wales – in speaking about Ball with the (then) Archbishop of Canterbury (Lord Carey) and a member of Lambeth Palace, and the Duchy of Cornwall buying a property to rent to Ball and his brother, were misguided.
“His actions, and those of his staff, could have been interpreted as expressions of support for Peter Ball and, given the Prince of Wales’s future role within the Church of England, had the potential to influence the actions of the Church.”
Following publication of the report, a Clarence House spokesman said: “It remains a matter of deep regret to the prince that he, along with many…
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