Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has defended Britain's Prince Charles' right to "express himself".
The leader of the Liberal Democrat party in England has spoken out about the Royal Family's right to make comments on political matters following reports that the Prince of Wales compared Russian president Vladimir Putin to the deceased German dictator Adolf Hitler during a visit to a Canadian war museum.
Clegg said: "I have never been of this view that if you are a member of the royal family somehow you have to enter into some Trappist vow of silence.
"I think he [Prince Charles] is entitled to his views."
Speaking to a volunteer at the Canadian Museum of Immigration in Halifax, Nova Scotia - whose family fled to Canada from Germany during the persecution of Jews under Hitler's Nazi rule - Charles is reported to have said: "And now Putin is doing the same thing as Hitler."
And whilst Clegg believes that the 65-year-old Prince should be able to voice his own opinion, he's unsure as to whether the comments are genuine.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, he added: "I don't know whether those were his views because I just don't think providing a running commentary on what were private conversations is useful to anybody."

Britain's Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall will end their tour of Canada today (21.05.14). The Prince of Wales and Duchess Camilla will bring their whirlwind four-day visit to Canada today (21.05.14) with separate appearances in Winnipeg, Ma...

Len Goodman has suggested he is leaving 'Dancing with the Stars'.
The 70-year-old ballroom dancer admitted during last night's (20.05.14) finale of the US celebrity dance contest that the 18th season - which was won by figure skater Meryl Davis and professional partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy - could be his last.
Speaking after the couple danced for the final time, he said:"This might be my last season, and if it is, I couldn't wish for a better dance to watch to finish up with."
Len - who is paid a rumoured £250,000 a year for 'DWTS' - previously admitted he would consider quitting the US show if juggling that and his 'Strictly Come Dancing' commitments got too much.
He said: "The only reason I'd ever quit ['Strictly'] is if I was in ill-health. 'Strictly' gave me my break. I was about to retire when they came along and changed my life. They kindly gave me a job, so - unless they fire me or I have to leave through sickness - I'm staying.
"If I had to leave one show it would be 'Dancing with the Stars', even though I'm paid a bit more for that."
If Len does leave the show, Bruno Tonioli's future could also be in doubt as he previously admitted he wouldn't want to do the gruelling commute between the UK and US without his co-judge for company.

EastEnders' Sharon Rickman will be left fighting for her life after a brutal attack.
The soap favourite, played by Letitia Dean, will end up in intensive care next month when she is targeted by a mystery mugger as she closes up her bar, The Albert.
Barman Johnny Carter (Sam Strike), who is upstairs when the attack happens, will rush to her aid and call an ambulance, but it could be too late for Sharon.
A source told The Sun newspaper: "Sharon is attacked while she locks up. She puts up a fight but her assailant fells her and she's left fighting for her life.
"It all happens very quickly and she has no idea who her attacker is or why it happens. It will be touch-and-go as the surgeons battle to save her.
"There are a lot of twists and turns to come but boyfriend Phil (Steve McFadden) is at Sharon's bedside praying she pulls through."
The attack on Sharon follows the tragic murder of youngster Lucy Beale in April, which leads to fears there could be a serial attacker on the loose in Walford.
The insider added: "There are a lot of twists to come. Whether Sharon's attack is related to Lucy's remains to be seen."

Jessica Chastain could star in the second season of 'True Detective'.
The Oscar-nominated starlet is being eyed to take one of the lead roles in the HBO detective drama, replacing Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, who earned critical acclaim for the first season earlier this year.
Executive producer Nic Pizzolatto is reportedly eager to have a female-led cast for the second season and has reached out to Jessica, 37, about taking on one of the roles.
'True Detective' follows an anthology format, which means each season has a completely different cast and different story.
It's not yet known if Jessica has accepted the part, Nerdist.com reports, but the show's critical acclaim has made it a very attractive proposition for Hollywood's A-list.
Earlier this month, it was reported that Brad Pitt could star in the second season.
A source said: "Brad is already part of the HBO family and if commitments allow he will be part of the second season of 'True Detective'. The quality of the scripts means the biggest A-listers in the world want the role."
Nic has already begun writing new episodes and has promised the new characters are very different from Matthew McConaughey's Rust Cohle and Woody's Marty Hart.
He said: He said: "I've got three characters I love right now, and they're all unique, and neither of them is Cohle or Hart."

William Roache is set to make his grand return to 'Coronation Street' with a comedy camping storyline.
The actor is due to return to the ITV soap next month after a year's absence, during which he was cleared of historic sexual offence charges, with laugh-out-loud scenes for his character Ken Barlow involving a disastrous caravanning holiday in north Wales.
A soap source told the Daily Star newspaper: "Ken is going to come back to a really dark time at the Barlows. Tina's murder storyline won't be the only one that dominates for him. We're going to have some fun as well.
"I'm going to give Ken and Deirdre a little holiday. A caravan in north Wales, what could go wrong? Ken raises the idea of going on holiday as Deirdre scans the papers for places in Monaco or Barbados, something like that.
"Then he pulls up in a hired caravan going, 'Let's go to north Wales!' "
The holiday will come at a disastrous time for the family and offer some light relief in the wake of Tina McIntyre's (Michelle Keegan) murder and the revelation she had been having an affair with Ken's son Peter Barlow (Chris Gascoyne).
William visited the show's studios yesterday (20.05.14) to finalise plans for his big return, which will see Ken return from Canada where he has been looking after his sick grandson.

Eve Myles has been cast in the new series of 'Broadchurch'.
The 'Torchwood' actress is one of four new stars to join the hit ITV murder mystery drama and will be joined by 'Without a Trace' star Marianne Jean-Baptiste, 'Hitchcock' actor James D'Arcy and 'Bad Education' actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
The show's creator Chris Chibnall said: "We're over the moon to have wooed Marianne back from Los Angeles to join us in 'Broadchurch'. Marianne is one of Britain's finest actresses, so it's an honour and a coup for us. It's a role written specifically for her and I would've wept for months if she'd turned us down. Luckily she didn't and her character is going to make an indelible impact on the world of 'Broadchurch'.
"As if we didn't have enough fabulous actresses, it's a thrill to be joined by Wales' finest, Eve Myles. Having worked together on 'Torchwood', it's a joy to be able to welcome her to 'Broadchurch'. And anyone who's seen Phoebe Waller-Bridge perform knows she's already on the way to being a superstar. We're lucky to have them both on board."
Executive producer Jane Featherstone said of James: "James' extraordinary recent work in movies such as 'Cloud Atlas' and opposite Anthony Hopkins in 'Hitchcock' makes him another thrilling and important addition to the 'Broadchurch' cast. It's never easy to tempt actors back from Hollywood, and we feel privileged that James is joining us as a key part of our new story."
'Broadchurch' triumphed at the British Academy Television Awards over the weekend, taking home the Best Drama Series prize, Best Actress prize for Olivia Colman and Best Supporting Actor for David Bradley.
Previously confirmed stars for the second series include David Tennant, Olivia, Jodie Whittaker, Andrew Buchan and newcomer Charlotte Rampling.

Brody Jenner will not be attending Kim Kardashian's wedding to Kanye West.
The former 'Hills' star's stepsister is set to tie the knot with the rapper this weekend, but since his girlfriend of seven months, Kaitlynn Carter, was not invited, he has decided not to be a part of the big day, sources told Us magazine.
Brody's father, Bruce, who split from Kim's mother Kris last October, is expected to give the bride away, while his other son Brandon and his wife Leah will be among the guests.
last year is expected to be attending the nuptials alongside his other son Brandon and his wife Leah.
Meanwhile, Kim is planning to base her nuptials on the 2011 wedding of Britain's Prince William and Duchess Catherine - who was known as Kate Middleton before her marriage - and she's even planning on wearing a crown to look like an "English princess".
Kim's aunt Karen Houghton, told The Sun newspaper: "Kim saw the visually stunning royal wedding and wants to replicate that. It's a great chance to show the world what a classy family we have.
"Kim might even wear a crown or tiara made from real diamonds. She'd look like an English princess. Kim and Kanye are a bit like our Prince William and Kate."

Penelope Cruz loves swimming with sharks.
The 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona' actress - who has children Leo, three, and Luna, 11 months, with husband Javier Bardem - enjoys watching the sea creatures when she goes scuba diving, but insists she isn't "crazy" enough to get up close to the biggest and most dangerous of the species out of a contained environment.
Asked what every woman should try at least once, she said: "Scuba diving--with sharks. I've done it in the Caribbean and Brazil. I think they were lemon sharks or reef sharks. If I ever do it with a great white shark, it will be in a cage. I'm not crazy."
While the 40-year-old beauty loves scuba diving, her favourite holidays enjoy being lazy on a beach.
She said: "I like anytime I'm on the beach, in the sun, lying on the sand."
And despite getting to travel the world with her work, Penelope still has a list of places she is desperate to visit.
She said: "I would love to visit Patagonia, and then I would go to the Amazon, because I've never been."
The 'Nine' actress was left devastated when a ring she was given by her grandmother was stolen, as she had previously taken it everywhere with her and even insisted on wearing it while shooting movies.
Asked the best gift she's been given, she told America's Marie Claire magazine: "A ring my grandmother gave me. I had it for years, but it was stolen. I did many movies in which it was part of my character's costume."

Lea Michele dated Matthew Morrison.
The 27-year-old actress - who denied being romantically involved with her 'Glee' co-star in the past - has finally confessed that the pair dated in her new book 'Brunette Ambition'.
However, Lea - who was in a relationship with her late co-star Cory Monteith from late 2011 until he passed away form an alcohol and heroin overdose in July 2013 - insists she dated Matthew, 35, long before they began working together on the set of 'Glee'.
She wrote: "When we shot the pilot [for 'Glee'], I met Cory Monteith, Kevin McHale, Amber Riley, and Chris Colfer for the first time. I had worked on Broadway with Jenna Ushkowitz and Matthew Morrison before. Matt had been a friend of mine for years, and in fact we'd actually dated back in the day for a Broadway beat."
Lea - who plays Rachel Berry on the hit FOX TV show - denied rumours she was involved with Matthew as they filmed the first series of 'Glee' in 2010, claiming the pair enjoyed a "close" friendship instead.
She said at the time: "I've known Matt for years. He's been a friend of mine from New York. People are going to make things up. I think it's just because we really are so close."
Addressing the same rumours, Matthew previously said: "We were literally on set and I got a call from my publicist [about Lea], and [Lea] got a call a minute later and we looked at each other like, 'What the f--k?' It's so laughable."

Lionel Richie was left "uneasy" by Michael Jackson's hologram performance.
The 'Easy' hitmaker admits he was "freaked out" after seeing the virtual likeness of his late friend - who died of acute Propofol intoxication in June 2009 - perform at the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas on Sunday (18.05.14) because it was so realistic.
He said: "It was freaky. I must tell you it freaked me out because it's Mike. I have to tell you it was brilliantly done, but it just made me a little uneasy because it was just... I keep waiting for him and then I realize that is him but it's not him.
"It's a little bit over the top for me."
The 64-year-old crooner admitted he didn't enjoy the performance because it interfered with his own memories of the 'Thriller' star.
Asked on 'Access Hollywood' if he would rather remember Michael the way he was, Lionel replied: "Yeah, let me have Mike the way I... you know, it was..."
While Lionel was unimpressed by the performance, Michael's brother Jackie Jackson claims his late sibling would have given it a "thumbs up" and says he found it "beautiful".
He said: "Beautiful, unbelievable. I thought he was there for real. I got teary eyed a little bit."

The Coen Brothers will revise the script of Tom Hanks' upcoming Cold War film. Joel and Ethan Coen have been enlisted to re-write the so far untitled DreamWorks project, which has already confirmed Steven Spielberg as director and Tom Hanks for the st...