The year after Prince Charles was sent to Gordonstoun School he created a furore when a journalist caught him ordering a cherry brandy in a public bar while on a trip to Stornoway. The Palace at first issued a denial but later was forced to admit the truth.
The Prince’s private detective, Donald Green, was immediately removed from royal duty and the prince was punished by his headmaster by being demoted in his rank at school. Charles later commented of these seemingly comic events, ‘I thought it was the end of the world.’
Palace Withdraws its Denial: He Did Buy Cherry Brandy
The Prince of Wales, who is 14, did have a drink in a hotel cocktail bar at Stornoway, Lewis, on Monday. Buckingham Palace yesterday withdrew a denial of reports that he had bought himself a cherry brandy for 2s 6d. Mr F. R. G. Chew, headmaster of Gordonstoun, where the Prince is a pupil, said later that boys at the school were forbidden alcoholic drink. He added: ‘If, after investigation, the reports prove correct I shall consider if disciplinary action is necessary. At present I don’t know the full details. I shall be interviewing the boys when they return to school on Sunday.’ He declined to say what form disciplinary action could take.