The heir to the throne, Prince Charles, privately lobbied Alex Salmond when he was First Minister to give money and political backing to an organic food group, his own north highland food brand, a stately home, a decaying castle and a series of other old buildings in Scotland.
The Sunday Herald has obtained details of seven personal letters from the Prince between July 2007 and July 2010, and Salmond’s replies. Known informally to officials as “black spider memos” because of Charles’s handwriting style, they reveal his secret attempts to influence spending by the Scottish Government.