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Royal 'phone tapping' duo charged

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The investigation was prompted by complaints from Prince Charles' Clarence House office.

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- A British tabloid editor and another man have been charged with snooping on other people's voice mail in a probe of wiretapping allegations that centered on Prince Charles' official residence, police have announced.

Clive Goodman, the royalty editor for the News of the World, and Glen Mulcaire, a 35-year-old suburban London resident, were released on bail after police charged each with eight counts of illegally intercepting phone messages and one count of conspiracy, London's Metropolitan Police said in a written statement.

Goodman and Mulcaire are scheduled to appear in court on those charges on August 16.

Goodman, 48, and Mulcaire were arrested on Tuesday as part of a police probe that started with Clarence House, the official residence of Charles and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. The charges against them span from January to May.

Scotland Yard announced Tuesday that it was looking into wiretapping allegations that could involve of a number of people, including "public figures beyond the Royal Household" -- a term that covers both members of the royal family and their staff.

The intercepts "may have potential security implications," police said.

The British tabloids are famous for their obsession with the royal family, and the business of covering them is highly competitive.

Richard Fitzwilliams, a commentator on the monarchy, said juicy stories about Elizabeth II and her brood "probably make more money than almost anything you can think of."

"If you can get details about individual members -- and there've been cases before where this has happened -- that are embarrassing, they make worldwide news," Fitzwilliams said.

One such example came in 1989, when a recording of an intimate late-night call between Charles and Camilla -- both of whom were married to others at the time -- reached the tabloids.

A spokesman for Clarence House had no comment on the announcement, citing the ongoing investigation.

No charges have been announced against a third man arrested Tuesday in connection with the case.

Correspondent Isha Sesay and CNN's Claudia Rebaza contributed to this report

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