Sophie's tapes of shame

by PAUL HENDERSON, Mail on Sunday

The Sophie Tapes are sensationally published today - and the Countess of Wessex may never recover from the humiliation.

The recordings, secretly made by a tabloid reporter posing as an Arab sheik, reveal the full outrageousness of Sophie's remarks about fellow Windsors and senior politicians - and her firm's willingness to trade her Royal connections for personal gain.

Equally damagingly, they show how her business partner agreed to stage a homosexual party for the bogus sheik.

They also disclose his familiarity with cocaine and Ecstasy, and capture him speculating that there was 'no smoke without fire' about rumours that Prince Edward was gay.

Courtiers were last night stunned by the contents of the tapes, whose existence was first revealed by The Mail on Sunday last week. They said Sophie must quit her public relations company immediately.

The tape transcripts catch Sophie:

Rubbishing Gordon Brown's Budget as 'a load of pap' which concealed Labour's 'frightening' tax increases.

Condemning Tony Blair - or 'President Blair' as she calls him - as 'ignorant of the countryside'. Wife Cherie, she says, is 'even worse'.

Dismissing William Hague's election chances. 'He sounds like a puppet,' says Sophie. 'The public don't like him. It's his face - it looks all wrong.'

Describing Charles and Camilla as having been the nation's least popular people. 'People don't want Camilla to be Queen,' she says.

For his part, Sophie's business partner Murray Harkin says that he can arrange a homosexual party for the 'sheik'.

'I can invite A-list people ... nice boys,' he says. The tapes then capture Harkin apparently recommending a sex tourism trip to Thailand.

On drugs, Harkin says: 'The odd line of coke I quite like, but trying to find it is a nightmare.'

He implies that by hiring Sophie's PR company, the 'sheik' is buying Royal patronage. 'You can buy photos of her meeting the Queen and you can do whatever you like with those,' he says. 'So in that sense you get endorsement from it.'

He adds: 'You've recognised that by taking her company that it's going to have an impact.'

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