The heir to the British throne, Prince Charles, has issued an unprecedented statement denying reports that he wants his mother, Queen Elizabeth, to step down.

The allegations are made in a programme to be shown on a British commercial television station on Sunday.

Prince Charles, who is in Bulgaria on a European tour, described the stories as preposterous and abhorrent.

He said they were hurtful to his family, the monarchy and himself personally.

It's the latest row to overshadow the run-up to the Prince's fiftieth birthday next week.

Last month, he and his companion, Camilla Parker-Bowles, dissociated themselves from a controversial new book about him.