Good for him. Regulated and controlled experimentation with genetic modification of various crops - food or cash - needs more high-profile supporters in the public eye.

The last thing British science needs is for ill-informed individuals such as Prince Charles and an assortment of high-profile journalists, farmers, activists and commentators making speculative public statements without understanding any of the scientific details involved.

While I support his sentiment, making personal insults about someones physical appearence in public is simply not right, especially about a member of the royal family. It does nothing for his reputation, or the issue in general. This is all the more surprising after Lord Winston's condemnation of what he called "violent language" used by people in or talking to the media during his lecture on ethics in science organised by BioChem Soc a while back. I imagine (and hope) that it slipped out during a lapse of concentration while under pressure, rather than being a planned attack on the Prince. Lord Winston does have a rather keen sense of humour (having met him) and it has run away with him on this occaision. He does also get very pissed off with people who critisise the work of scientists in the media without being properly informed of the science first.

The article does not quote Winston as having made any comments about Charles' ears.

Given how inbred the Royal Family is, his statement was perfectly accurate. In a sense, inbreeding is a low-tech, unreliable and slow means of achieving precisely what some proponents of genetic modification intend to.

Oi, Winston! Leave our Charlie alone.

Right on Sunil...I agree totally with you....Ahhh dear Charles...it does serves you well to shut up, when you do not know what you are talking about.....See Mum about teaching you the art of not putting you foot in your mouth.