Copy retained in BBC Written Archives, Caversham Park. Original held in Ministry of Information Registry, now Public Record Office file INF 1/848. Classification downgraded from CONFIDENTIAL to RESTRICTED, 1953. Released under Public Records Act, 1966.
MINISTRY OF INFORMATION
Malet Street, London WC1
CONFIDENTIAL
Ref: MOI/BBC/40/Dir/23
24 August 1940
Frederick W. Ogilvie, Esq.
Director-General
British Broadcasting Corporation
Broadcasting House, London W1
Dear Mr. Ogilvie,
You are directed, under the authority of Regulation 3(1) of the Defence (General) Regulations 1939, to ensure that no broadcast transmission of any kind originating from, attributed to, or purporting to represent the views of His Royal Highness The Duke of Windsor is relayed, repeated, or otherwise disseminated on any BBC domestic or overseas service.
This Direction takes effect immediately upon receipt.
Should any such transmission come to the Corporation's attention, you are further directed to notify this Ministry within one hour and to take all practicable steps to prevent its domestic amplification through any BBC medium, including the Home Service, the Forces Programme, or the Empire Service.
The reasons for this Direction are operational and cannot be disclosed at this time. You are not to discuss this Direction with any member of BBC staff beyond those whose cooperation is strictly necessary to give effect to it.
This Direction supersedes any standing BBC editorial guidelines regarding the reporting of statements by members of the Royal Family.
Yours faithfully,
A. Duff Cooper
Minister of Information