to the Commons media select committee, which is investigating phone-hacking and the use of illegal subterfuge by newspapers as part of an inquiry into press standards, privacy and libel.

MPs heard that police suspected mobile phones belonging to Prince William and Prince Harry had been tapped into by Clive Goodman, the former News of the World royal editor, and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire, who were both jailed for hacking into phones of royal aides.

The committee reopened that inquiry after the Guardian revealed in July that the News of the World paid three people, including the Professional Footballers' Association chief executive, Gordon Taylor, about £1m in costs and damages to settle civil actions bought against its owner News International after their phones were hacked into by reporters on the paper.

Theand detective chief superintendent Philip Williams, told the committee that other reporters from the News of the World were not pursued because there was no evidence of illegal activity.

Williams was asked if he suspected that journalists had hacked into the mobile phones of princes William and Harry. He replied: "Yes, I think they may well have done."

A News of the World spokeswoman last night said: "News of the World knows of no evidence to support this allegation and it was never part of or disclosed in the police investigation."

The Met officers dismissed an email uncovered by the Guardian, which was sent by a junior reporter to Mulcaire referring to a "transcript for Neville". The email was taken to refer to News of the World chief reporter Neville Thurlbeck.

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