The royals and Dan Wootton: Byline Times part 1 of 3-year investigation into how Wootton got information about the royal family

[queentim]

Following their series about the Crisis in British Journalism and MediaToo movement, Byline Times reporters have recently released the first report of the 3 year investigation into the link between the royals and (disgraced) TV presenter Dan Wootton.

The first report reveals how Charles and William were angered that Harry refused to remove the name of an aide (William's aide in Kensington) who was paid cash to leak stories about his wife Meghan, and son Archie. This included investigations by the Met.

As a result, Charles removed the $700,000 granted to support them, which would have seen Harry and Meghan living in Canada and representing the Queen, in an effort to bring them back to the UK by exposing their location in Canada and removing their security. This was the collapse of the 'Sandringham Agreement', which resulted in the signing of the Sussexes media deals.

Some highlights, but can be bought for £3.6:

▪ It followed news that a partner of a key aide to Prince William received £4,000 from The Sun allegedly for stories about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex when Wootton was executive editor.

▪ The Metropolitan Police looked into the alleged leaking but could not go to a judge for a warrant to search royal staff property without knowing the identity of the whistle-blowers.

▪ Two internal royal investigations followed – one involving Simon Case, who is today the embattled head of the civil service facing questions over the Government’s response to the pandemic.

▪ Byline Times has uncovered new photographic evidence of Wootton, the aide and the aide’s partner at a lavish private birthday party Wootton threw for his close friends in a £1,675-a-night hotel suite.

▪ Prince Harry sent formal ‘letters before action’ detailing the claims about Wootton and the palace to News UK.

▪ When the aide’s name was not removed from the legal letters, the Sussexes were cut adrift financially and left unable to protect themselves despite having a security threat level equal to the monarch.

▪ The royal household had thought the threat of exposure would force Harry and Meghan to return to the UK, where their profile could be controlled preventing them from eclipsing the future King

Exploding ‘Megxit’: How Dan Wootton and a Cash-for-Leaks Scandal Split the Monarchy

Wootton has left GB News after Ofcom found the comments made on his show by Laurence Fox about a female journalist broke broadcasting rules. (Laurence Fox has lost 2 libel cases against him recently as an aside)

He’s now doing a Piers Morgan and launching his own platform Dan Wootton Outspoken.

I saw that
Two awful men and Fox wouldn't take back what he said

From the Guardian, 28/2/24

An article headlined “Police investigating allegations Dan Wootton solicited explicit images” was published on our website on 2 October 2023 (with a print version in a late edition the next day) and removed on 3 October 2023 following complaints from lawyers acting for Dan Wootton. We apologise to Mr Wootton for the article. Last week, the Metropolitan police and Police Scotland said that they had concluded their investigations and are taking no further action. Mr Wootton has restated that the police inquiries have exonerated him of any criminal wrongdoing. The Guardian has paid a contribution to Mr Wootton’s costs.

From the Mirror 8/3/24

An article headlined “Met Police launches probe into 'Dan Wootton sex offences' allegations” was published on our website on 2 October 2023 and removed later that day following a complaint from Dan Wootton.
Last week, the Metropolitan Police and Police Scotland said that they had concluded their investigations and are taking no further action.
We accept that we were wrong to have published the article and apologise unreservedly to Mr Wootton for any upset the article may have caused.
Mr Wootton has restated that the police inquiries have exonerated him of any criminal wrongdoing.

From the Press Gazette 8/3/24

The Daily Mirror has followed The Guardian and apologised to Dan Wootton for reporting on a police investigation against the former GB News presenter.
The title is one of a number of publications and individuals to receive a letter from Wootton’s lawyers after reporting in October that he was the subject of a police investigation.
Citing the Bloomberg versus ZXC Supreme Court judgment, Wootton has said reporting of the police investigation was a breach of his privacy.
Last month Wootton revealed that the Met Police and Police Scotland had both decided to take no action against him after investigating complaints.
Press Gazette understands the Mirror publisher has made a five-figure payment to Wootton. The Guardian has also made a payment to Wootton.

Byline Times now crowdfunding for legal fees and Wootten suing them. I don't think it's quite gone to plan. Which is a shame, because we could do with some responsible, quality, independent journalism. But not something that is a vehicle for vendettas.

Wootton is now hinting he has a big reveal on the Sussex Squad in the pipeline.

On Twitter/X he says it will be revealed tomorrow .

This is wild. Placemarking.

@Mylovelygreendress Perhaps this might explain where some very goady posters have disappeared to recently!

@Ratsoffasinkingsauage good point 👏

Funny that, I was thinking that some people have gone very quiet and this board has suddenly slowed right down as regards new threads.

In fairness I guess there's not a lot to say at the moment, MrsD - the Kate mystery that exercised so many's cleared up and the rest aren't that visible

Doubtless more silliness will be winging it's way to us shortly though 😉

I 'spose. Holidays as well.

This is what DW has to say about Byline working with the Sussex Squad to go after him. (I have deliberately left out the stuff that gives details of this woman’s identity irl)

It’s all rather sordid, trolls, trolls everywhere and on both side. The Sussex squad are vile, Bouzy is vile, Sarahdata is vile but unfortunately so is the person pointing this out in my opinion. There are definitely bots involved, same message, same hash tags but whose employing these is anyone business. Make no mistake Dan and Bouzy will milk this until another money/publicity well runs dry.

I really dislike Dan Wooten. He's the originator of the seed that planted the William affair rumour, and I hope he does the decent thing and addresses this, as this has been as much a part of the campaign against Catherine as anything concerning her health. Having said that, If the Byline Times helped destroy his TV career with false claims, and if the Sussex supporters were a part of that, then this needs to be investigated against the narrative that has been run by the Sussexes about online hate against them and their political work in seeking to limit free speech on the internet. They can't be both poachers and gamekeepers at the same time.

Gosh what a way to make a living

This stuff is all a mystery to me. I can't imagine the life of people who are seriously caught up in all of this. I know MN has been the scene of much banter and joshing but people live like this? With so much hatred ? They go after people in real life? I get that some are journos but if not then why? It really makes you question the minds and lives of some people who " live this". It's sad really .

@musthorse Totally agree. It is one thing to follow a story closely and another to get so involved that you are actively looking to ruin people’s lives. How do these people look at themselves and think they are good people? When you’ve gotten to the point that the ends justify the means, surely you’ve crossed to the dark side!

It's very much the modus operandi of a cult.

Shocking but not surprising.