Queen warns media over paparazzi intrusion
The Queen warns media over paparazzi intrusion
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By inthenews. |  |
Sunday, 06, Dec 2009 12:34
By Lewis Bazley.
The Queen has issued a warning to newspapers not to publish paparazzi photographs of the Royal Family, it has been confirmed.
Buckingham Palace confirmed Her Majesty had sent a private letter reminding editors of their privacy responsibilities under the Press Complaints Commission code.
The letter, the contents of which have not been revealed, came "in response to many years of the royal family being hounded by photographers on the Queen's private property", said the Palace press office.
According to the Sunday Telegraph, it is understood the Royal Family will consider legal action if they continued to be photographed in private situations.
Princess Caroline of Monaco won more than £9,000 damages from the European Court of Human Rights in 2005 and any royal legal action would likely see them pursuing the same lines of grievance.
Prince William had expressed concern after he and girlfriend Kate Middleton were "aggressively" pursued by members of the paparazzi in 2007 and his father's communications secretary has gone on the record to acknowledge the Royal Family's new approach to media behaviour.
The Prince of Wales' spokesman Paddy Harverson said: "Members of the Royal Family feel they have a right to privacy when they are going about everyday, private activities.
"They recognise there is a public interest in them and what they do, but they do not think this extends to photographing the private activities of them and their friends."
Photographers will be permitted to take photos of the Royals as they attend church on Christmas Day but "snatched" photographs at the Queen's Sandringham estate are unlikely to be tolerated.