Publication: St. Paul Pioneer Press [US]
Date: November 12, 1996
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Title: "Prince Says His Personal Life is 'Off Limits'"
Written By: Associated Press

CHANHASSEN, Minn. (AP) -- Pop star Prince is declaring his musical independence in a very public way. But he is making it clear that he will remain silent on questions about his private life. ''My personal life is off limits,'' he told the Saint Paul Pioneer Press in a copyright story Tuesday.

Prince's comments were in response to reports circulating in the European press and the National Enquirer that his child was born prematurely last month with a deformity. Prince and his wife, Mayte, were expecting their first child this month.

The Pioneer Press said that Prince hasn't even confirmed that the baby has been born.

''But I will say this: People should stop reading the newspaper,'' he said in a rare interview. ''Whenever we give birth to our children, the world won't know anything. They won't know their names, sex, anything.

''Our child has to make those decisions. What if it doesn't want to be a public person? That's just straight respect; it's their experience.''

Prince was sitting in a studio at Paisley Park studios Monday, where workers were busy preparing for Tuesday night's concert celebrating Prince's release from his Warner Bros. Records contract and his upcoming three-CD set, ''Emancipation.'' The concert will be broadcast live via satellite and be available on the Internet.

Prince's new CD, due in stores Nov. 19, will be released on his own NPG Records and distributed by EMI.