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Prince George 'being harassed by paparazzi' Prince George 'being harassed by paparazzi'
(about 1 hour later)
Paparazzi harassment of Prince George has increased in recent months and their tactics are becoming increasingly dangerous, Kensington Palace has said. Paparazzi harassment of Prince George has increased and photographers' tactics are becoming increasingly dangerous, Kensington Palace has said.
The warning came as it appealed to world media to prevent the publication of unauthorised photographs of the two-year-old prince. The palace has issued an appeal to world media not to publish unauthorised images of the two-year-old, who is third in line to the throne.
Some paparazzi had gone to "extreme lengths" and "a line has been crossed", the palace said. Some paparazzi had gone to "extreme lengths" to take pictures and "a line has been crossed", the palace said.
It wants to "inform public discussion" on the photography of children. It wants to "inform discussion" on unauthorised photography of children.
The palace said a small number of media organisations, mostly in Germany, France, Australia, New Zealand and the US, had published photos of Prince George in "unacceptable circumstances".The palace said a small number of media organisations, mostly in Germany, France, Australia, New Zealand and the US, had published photos of Prince George in "unacceptable circumstances".
However it said the "vast majority", and all UK publications, had refused.However it said the "vast majority", and all UK publications, had refused.
The palace says that in recent months, photographers have: 'Number one target'
The palace says in recent months, photographers have:
It said the most recent incident, which was last week, involved a photographer who was discovered by police lying down in the boot of a rented car attempting to shoot photos outside a children's play area.It said the most recent incident, which was last week, involved a photographer who was discovered by police lying down in the boot of a rented car attempting to shoot photos outside a children's play area.
Kensington Palace tweeted: "The Duke and Duchess want to extend their thanks for the kind and supportive messages they have received in recent months.Kensington Palace tweeted: "The Duke and Duchess want to extend their thanks for the kind and supportive messages they have received in recent months.
"They have been delighted to share photos of their children and will continue to do so in the months and years ahead."They have been delighted to share photos of their children and will continue to do so in the months and years ahead.
"Yet undercover paparazzi continue to pursue their children, selling images of Prince George to international publications.""Yet undercover paparazzi continue to pursue their children, selling images of Prince George to international publications."
In the letter, Kensington Palace communications secretary Jason Knauf said: "It is of course upsetting that such tactics - reminiscent as they are of past surveillance by groups intent on doing more than capturing images - are being deployed to profit from the image of a two-year-old boy. In the published letter, Kensington Palace communications secretary Jason Knauf said the prince had become the paparazzi's "number one target".
He said: "It is of course upsetting that such tactics - reminiscent as they are of past surveillance by groups intent on doing more than capturing images - are being deployed to profit from the image of a two-year-old boy.
"In a heightened security environment such tactics are a risk to all involved."In a heightened security environment such tactics are a risk to all involved.
"The worry is that it will not always be possible to quickly distinguish between someone taking photos and someone intending to do more immediate harm.""The worry is that it will not always be possible to quickly distinguish between someone taking photos and someone intending to do more immediate harm."
The BBC's royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell said: "There is a huge amount of money to be made by the [paparazzi] photographers, by the magazines which published these photographs. 'Dangerous presence'
"They would say their readers want to see these pictures of this cute little boy - but the downside of that, and the side that William and Catherine and Kensington Palace are keen to emphasise, is that this is intruding on the privacy of a two-year-old and using a two-year-old to make a large amount of money." Mr Knauf said the duke and duchess wanted Prince George and his sister Princess Charlotte "to be free to play in public and semi-public spaces with other children without being photographed".
He said the issue was a "very difficult area of law". They want to give their children a childhood that is "free from harassment and surveillance", he said.
"If you are in a public place and if the photographer is not breaching the peace, it is unclear about what the law would say about the behaviour of these photographers," our correspondent added. Paddy Harverson, former communications secretary to the Duke of Cambridge, said: "Just imagine if everywhere you went and when you took the children out to playgrounds, there were men carrying cameras, they were hiding.
"Often they don't know they're there until they see the photographs later in magazines, which are published abroad."
The BBC's royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell said the Royal Family was keen to emphasise it amounted to "intruding on the privacy of a two-year-old" and using a two-year-old to make "a large amount of money".
But he said the issue was a "very difficult area of law" as it was unclear "what the law would say about the behaviour of these photographers".