December 20

No group has yet said it carried out the killings

England have

The Spanish Prime Minister, Admiral Luis Carrero Blanco, has been killed in a car bomb attack in Madrid.

The 70 year old, his bodyguard and a driver died instantly and four other people were injured after a remote controlled bomb was detonated as he passed.

A massive explosion sent the car hurtling into the air and over the roof of the San Francisco de Borga Church where M Blanco had just been attending mass.

The vehicle landed on the second floor terrace of a building on the other side of the church and a great deal of damage was caused in the area.

No one has admitted carrying out the attack.

The Spanish Government has declared three days of national mourning and the cabinet has held two emergency meetings.

All public buildings are closed but it is not known if a state of emergency will be declared.

Police, who did not confirm the assassination until six hours later, said the assassins had dug a tunnel under the street the admiral used regularly on his return from mass. Demonstrations

Police said the killers triggered the bomb from an opposite basement in a well-planned assassination bid.

The prime minister's death came 15 minutes before the start of a trial involving 10 of Spain's leading opponents of the Franco regime, one of them a Roman Catholic priest.

They were arrested in a Madrid Church 18 months ago and were accused of unlawful assembly.

Thousands of angry demonstrators have campaigned against the case and have already clashed with police.

Commentators said the admiral's death must be seen in the context of this controversial trial and against the backdrop of hisstaunchsupport of General Franco's regime.

Not since the Civil War, which ended in 1939, has a government minister died in such violent circumstances.

The former naval officer, who was considered authoritarian and hated Communism, was devoted to the Roman Catholic Church.

He has been succeeded by the vice-prime minister Fernandez Miranda, 57.    

The couple married in 1981

Buckingham Palace said the Queen called for an end to the marriage in a letter to each of them earlier this week.

It is understood the prince has replied in agreement with his mother but the princess has yet to respond, according to a Palace spokesman.

"After considering the present situation the Queen wrote to both the prince and princess earlier this week and gave them her view, supported by the Duke of Edinburgh, that an early divorce is desirable," the spokesman said.

"The Prince of Wales also takes this view and has made this known to the Princess of Wales since the letter.

"The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will continue to do all they can to help and support the Prince and Princess of Wales, and most particularly their children, in this difficult period."

The Queen's action comes just weeks after the princess's interview on Panorama which sparked a national debate on the future of the monarchy.

In it she said she did not want a divorce and claimed there were "three people" in their marriage because of Charles' friendship with Camilla Parker Bowles.

Diana was also repeatedly critical of her husband's ability to become king, his family, and their advisers and also admitted committing adultery herself.

Constitutional experts have said divorce would mean the Princess of Wales could never become queen.

The prime minister and senior Privy Councillors have backed the Queen's decision after prolonged private talks over the last two weeks.

Buckingham Palace's announcement followed discussions between the Queen and the Prime Minister.

Mr Major, who announced the couple's original separation in the Commons in 1992, will make a further statement to MPs once divorce proceedings are under way.

staunch: firm and dependable especially in loyalty（堅定的）