Prince Charles' harpist was hooked on heroin, crack cocaine

London, Dec 3 (ANI): Prince Charles' former official harpist has confessed to a court that she was hooked on heroin and crack cocaine while performing for the Royal Family.

Jemima Phillips, 28, played at Charles and Camilla's wedding and many royal engagements.

And she performed at a Buckingham Palace reception hosted by the Queen for the 2012 Olympic Games bid.

Phillips is on trial accused of committing a series of burglaries with a boyfriend.

She told Gloucester Crown Court that her drug problem had started even before she began a stint as official harpist to the heir to the throne in July 2004.

Philips was weeping throughout her evidence.

"I took over as royal harpist. Even then my drug problem had started," the Daily Express quoted the musician as saying.

"Sometimes I would just play background music at private functions, when I would be sat a few feet away from Prince Charles. Sometimes it would be concerts," she added.

Phillips described how she started using crack cocaine shortly after undergoing her second abortion when she was 23 before acquiring a heroin addiction during an affair with a violent boyfriend.

She blamed her troubles on a "dysfunctional" family life, abusive relationships, the death of her handicapped 13-year-old brother when she was 14, and bullying at school.

She insisted she had been off drugs now for two months.

The trial continues. (ANI)