Royal files open for decades to be slammed shut by National Archives, ... trends now

Royal files previously open for decades are being slammed shut by the National Archives - to the fury of authors and historians.

The closures have triggered a secrecy row among researchers who say junior members of staff at the National Archives are hiding the documents behind closed doors without proper scrutiny.

At least 16 royal files have been closed by the National Archives in the past year, some of which have been open to the public for more than 20 years and have been featured in published books.

They cover a variety of topics, including the Duke of Windsor's security in the 1930s, the attempted abduction of Princess Anne in 1974 and Prince Andrew's flying training in the late 1970s.

Many of the documents have been closed 'under review', but it's not clear how long this process will last.

The National Archives have insisted they are following legislation that exempts the royal family from Freedom of Information (FOI) disclosures and withholds information that could endanger their security – but this is disputed by some academics.

'The files are completely innocuous' said royal author Andrew Lownie.

'Even if they were secret, the horse has already bolted. Will the police now trace everyone who has looked at them? Will books quoting them now be pulped?

'Alongside the royal files more than 3,000 documents were re-sealed last year. This is a scandal. The National Archives must be more transparent.'

Mr Lownie's FOI requests to access the now-sealed

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