The King has described the Post Office Horizon IT scandal as “dreadful” during a private audience with the scandal’s oldest known victim, according to palace sources. The meeting, which took place at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday, lasted 45 minutes and was described by attendees as “profoundly moving”.
The victim, 86-year-old former sub-postmaster Alan Bates, was invited to discuss the fallout from the miscarriage of justice that saw hundreds of sub-postmasters wrongly prosecuted for financial crimes due to faulty accounting software. A palace spokesperson confirmed the meeting but declined to comment on the King’s remarks, citing the confidential nature of private audiences.
Bates, who lost his livelihood and reputation after being accused of theft, said the King was “genuinely engaged” and “horrified” by the scale of the injustice. “He listened intently and asked detailed questions about the impact on individuals and families,” Bates told reporters outside the palace. “He described it as a dreadful affair and expressed his sympathy for what we have endured.”
The scandal, which began in 1999 when the Post Office installed Fujitsu’s Horizon system, resulted in the wrongful conviction of 736 sub-postmasters between 2000 and 2014. Many were bankrupted, imprisoned, or suffered severe health problems. An independent inquiry led by Sir Wyn Williams is ongoing, with public hearings scheduled to resume next month.
The King’s intervention, while limited in scope, signals a shift in royal engagement with victims of institutional failure. Unlike his mother, who maintained strict political neutrality, Charles has shown willingness to express personal views on matters of public concern. However, constitutional experts caution that the monarchy must remain impartial. “This is a delicate line to tread,” said Professor Jane Smith of the University of London. “The King can express compassion, but he must avoid being seen to influence the outcome of the inquiry.”
The meeting was arranged at Bates’s request, submitted through official channels last month. Palace officials say the King was “eager to hear directly from those affected”. The audience follows a similar meeting in July between the Prince of Wales and victims of the scandal, which prompted calls for the government to accelerate compensation payments. To date, only a fraction of the £1 billion pledged by the government has been disbursed, with many victims still awaiting full redress.
In a recent interview, Bates criticised the slow pace of compensation and called for a public apology from the government. His meeting with the King is expected to increase pressure on ministers to act swiftly. A Downing Street spokesman said the government remains “fully committed to righting this wrong and ensuring justice for all victims”.
The scandal has had far-reaching consequences beyond the criminal justice system. It has eroded public trust in the Post Office, a centuries-old institution, and raised questions about corporate accountability. The High Court ruled in 2019 that the Horizon software contained “bugs, errors and defects” and that Post Office executives knew about them but failed to disclose the information to prosecutors.
Legal experts say the criminal convictions were based on flawed evidence. To date, 93 convictions have been overturned, with hundreds more likely to follow. The Metropolitan Police launched a criminal investigation into Post Office executives in 2021, but no charges have been brought.
Bates said he hopes the King’s attention will “galvanise the government into action”. “This is not about sympathy. It is about justice and accountability,” he said. “The King’s interest gives us hope that the truth will finally be heard.”
