Prince's aide loses Royal papers

Sir Michael Peat worked for the Queen for more than a decade

A briefcase full of royal papers has been lost after it fell from the back of a top aide's bike, it has emerged.

The Prince of Wales's private secretary Sir Michael Peat only realised the bag had dropped onto the road when he arrived at Clarence House.

Police searched for the bag which contained a draft copy of a budget for Prince Charles' London residence.

Royal aides said the briefcase, lost earlier this week, did not contain any sensitive material.

A Clarence House spokesman said: "It wouldn't have contained anything sensitive - documents like that are always locked away".

Last year, a briefcase containing confidential papers were stolen from a Buckingham Palace press secretary's car.

The papers, about arrangements for the Queen's state funeral, were later found by a member of the public and returned.

Prince Charles and Camilla are currently visiting England's South West.

They began their two days of engagements at the Devon County Show near Exeter.