Prince Charles's Jimmy Savile link sparks concerns that he or aides ignored alarm bells

A new Netflix documentary, Jimmy Savile: A British Horror Story, has uncovered correspondence between Charles and the BBC DJ who was exposed as a sex offender after his death in October 2011. Journalist Meirion Jones, whose investigation for Newsnight into the sexual predator was pulled by the BBC, has asked whether the prince's advisers ever asked questions about Savile's alleged role as Charles's "mentor".

Mr Jones, who contributed to Netflix's programme, claims that Savile became an "adviser to the royals" with the heir to the throne seeking advice "on how to deal with a real world that he and his family were insulated from".

He said: "For me one question remains: did Charles' advisers ever raise the issue with the heir to the throne —as they should have?

"And, if so, why did the Prince choose to ignore the warnings?"

In one handwritten letter from Charles to Savile dated January 14, 1987, the royal writes: "Perhaps I am wrong, but you are the bloke who knows what's going on.

"What I really need is a list of suggestions from you. I so want to get to parts of the country that others don't get to reach."

In a typed letter from Charles to Savile dated July 4, 1991, the prince states: "Dear Jimmy, I can't tell you how grateful I am for the most useful assistance you... provided for my speech in the Guildhall the other day.

"It was really good of you to take the trouble to put together those splendid notes and [you] provided me with considerable food for thought.

"Whether you think the final result is in any way worthwhile is of course another matter... but in case it might interest you, I enclose a copy of my speech. With renewed and heartfelt thanks, Charles."

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Mr Jones, who now edits the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, says Savile had wanted to "get in" with the royals ever since he picked up an OBE from the Queen Mother at Buckingham Palace in 1972.

According to Mr Jones, Savile's link to Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Buckinghamshire brought him closer to Charles, who along with Princess Diana had opened a National Spinal Injuries Centre for the hospital in 1983.

He claims that when the Prince and Princess of Wales were drifting apart both reportedly remained close to Savile, adding he was even brought in for marriage guidance.

This was backed up by royal press adviser Dickie Arbiter who told The Sunday Times years later that Savile was brought in by an aide as "a sort of Jim'll Fix It" to fix the state of the marriage, "but of course it didn't work".

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Mr Jones, writing in MailOnline, said the Netflix documentary includes a revelation that Charles wrote to Savile, asking him to advise the Duchess of York on how to avoid disastrous publicity.

Newly released letters show that on December 22, 1989, Charles approached Savile, writing: "I wonder if you would ever be prepared to meet my sister-in-law, the Duchess of York?

"Can't help feeling that it would be extremely useful to her if you could. I feel she could do with some of your straightforward common sense!"

Secret recordings of intimate conversations between Diana and close friend James Gilbey, from which The Sun published a transcript in August 1992, include the following exchange with Diana.

She said: "Jimmy Savile rang me up yesterday and he said, 'I'm just ringing up, my girl, to tell you that His Nibs [Charles] has asked me to come and help out the redhead [the Duchess of York], and I'm just letting you know, so that you don't find out through her or him; and I hope it's all right by you'."

Later in the conversation, Gilbey asks what the relationship was between Charles and Savile to which Diana replies: "Sort of mentor."

Mr Jones says that suspicion about Savile did not come out in public until 1990 when The Independent journalist Lynn Barber put what had been Fleet Street gossip for years in print for everyone to read for the first time.

He writes: "I was working on the BBC Radio 4's Today programme by then, and suddenly everyone was talking about the Savile rumours.

"Today, I find it very difficult to believe that Charles's PR and media advisers would not have been asking the same questions about whether it was wise for Savile to remain as Charles's mentor."

He goes on to say that in 2000, presenter Louis Theroux's documentary When Louis Met Jimmy reignited the paedophile rumours.

Mr Jones asks: "Was Charles unaware of these or did he just believe they could not be true?"

After Savile died in 2011, a Clarence House spokeswoman said: "The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall were saddened to hear of Jimmy Savile's death and their thoughts are with his family at this time."

Clarence House has been approached for comment.