Buckingham Palace was today preparing its response to new and damaging allegations contained in the controversial ‘‘Sophie tapes’’.

A former press officer at Buckingham Palace today warned of the hypocrisy of those condemning the Countess of Wessex for remarks she made in the so-called Sophie tapes.

The Countess of Wessex is facing new and potentially damaging revelations after the News of the World published the full "Sophie tapes" transcripts.