AN unidentified member of the British royal family has been targeted in a sex and drugs blackmail attempt, the Sunday Times newspaper has reported.
The newspaper said two men had demanded £50,000 ($112,000) or they would release video of what they claimed was a royal aide performing oral sex on a royal.
The men also said the footage showed the royal side snorting cocaine from an envelope allegedly supplied by the royal, the paper reported.
It is the first time in more than a century that a member of the royal family has been the target of an alleged blackmail plot.
Buckingham Palace was not immediately available to comment.
The Metropolitan Police issued the following statement in response to an inquiry about the story:
"A 30-year-old man and a 40-year-old man appeared at City of Westminster Magistrates Court on 13th of September, each charged with one count of blackmail.
"They were remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on the 20th of December."
The hearing was held behind closed doors.
Reporting restrictions prevent identification of the royal in question or any witnesses.
The newspaper said the plot came to light in August when a man telephoned the royal family member’s office to make the threats.
The police were called in and set up an operation in which a detective posing as a royal aide met the two men in a London hotel on September 11 and was shown the video.
The men were arrested immediately afterwards, the newspaper said.