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Press review: 'Fall of the sun king'

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- John Browne's resignation as chief executive of BP, after a court allowed journalists to publish details about his private life, dominated the front pages of British newspapers on Wednesday.

The Daily Mail, the paper that won the right to expose Browne's four-year relationship with Canadian Jeff Chevalier, had the headline "Hubris, lies and fall of the sun king."

The paper described Browne's admission that he gave "an untruthful account" as a court witness of his first meeting with Chevalier as "scandalous" and called the legal action the British peer took against his former lover as "disastrous."

The Guardian and The Times carried the headlines "BP's Browne quits over lie to court about private life" and "Lie over gay partner ends BP chief's career."

The Guardian described Browne as "one of the titans of British industry," and said while he was at the helm BP was "regarded as the country's most successful" company.

The Times focused on the businessman's shortcomings, outlining the details of the court documents that led to his resignation. The paper also ran a feature headlined "Business and gays -- like oil and water."

The tabloids were mixed in their reaction with The Sun using the headline "Tycoon and the rent boy" and The Mirror "Silly old fuel."

The Sun focused on the Web site where Lord Browne is alleged to have met Chevalier. Praising him as a "giant of British industry," it added: "It is tragic that his contribution to his country has ended in such personal embarrassment over his private life."

The Mirror attacked Browne for believing "his personal and professional conduct was above scrutiny," accusing him of "vanity and arrogance." The paper also laid the blame on "the Establishment."

The international press also reacted to the news, notably in Canada, Chevalier's country of residence.

Canada's Financial Post and Globe and Mail reported on the story on their Web sites with headlines "BP CEO quits as affair exposed" and "Lies over gay liaison sink BP's top executive."

The Globe and Mail was sympathetic to Browne, describing him as a "visionary" and detailing the way Chevalier threatened the former BP executive with public exposure and "demanded more money" from him.

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