CULTURE Secretary Chris Smith has poured cold water on Gordon Prentice's idea that members of the royal family should register their financial and business interests like MPs.

But despite his intervention, support for the Pendle back bencher's idea is growing.

Now some 65 Labour MPs, including Burnley's Peter Pike, have joined his call for action.

Mr Prentice believes a register of royal interests, along the lines of the House of Commons register of members interests, should be brought in.

And he wants Buckingham Palace to consult MPs, in particular on the Commons Public Administration Committee, to devise such a register in the wake of the Sophie Wessex affair.

She caused a storm when she made unwise comments about politicians and other prominent people to a reporter posing as a sheik seeking a contract with her PR firm.

The Countess has now quit as chairman of the company, but the strength of Parliamentary opinion in favour of a register is growing.

Three former ministers are among those signing Mr Prentice's Motion.

But today Mr Smith said: "I am not sure it is necessary to establish a formal system of that kind. The basic principle for everyone involved in public life, as MPs or members of the government, is to act as openly as possible.

"It is up to everyone in the public eye to act in the best way they think it is necessary.

"I have every confidence the royal family will do this."