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Palace warns of 'increasingly dangerous' paparazzi tactics targeting Prince George Palace warns of 'increasingly dangerous' paparazzi tactics targeting Prince George
(about 3 hours later)
Kensington Palace has accused paparazzi photographers of harassing Prince George and using “increasingly dangerous” tactics to get pictures of the royal toddler. Kensington Palace has issued an unprecedented warning to paparazzi, accusing photographers of harassing Prince George and using “increasingly dangerous tactics” to obtain covert images of the third in line to the throne.
In an unusually strongly worded open letter, Jason Knauf, the communications secretary for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, said the tactics used by some photographers were creating a “very real security risk”. Paparazzi intent on selling expensive images to foreign publications have hidden in car boots and among sand dunes, and have used other young children as bait to draw their “No 1 target” into view, the palace said in an unusually strongly worded open letter.
Detailing a catalogue of recent intrusions into the family’s privacy, he said photographers had recently been discovered hiding in car boots and sand dunes as they staked out the royals. The aggressive tactics – which will draw comparisons with the harassment experienced by the prince’s late grandmother, Diana, Princess of Wales – were creating a “very real security risk”, said Jason Knauf, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s communications secretary.
He even claimed they used other young children as bait to draw the prince into view while he was playing outside.
Knauf said the two-year-old, who is third in line to the throne, has become the “number one target” for some unscrupulous photographers.
And while he thanked British media organisations for refusing to publish unauthorised photos of the prince and his three-month-old sister Charlotte, he warned that “a handful of international media titles” are still willing to pay for them.
As well as creating a “very real security risk”, he said their actions had left the Duke and Duchess “concerned about their ability to provide a childhood for Prince George and Princess Charlotte that is free from harassment and surveillance”.
The warning detailed a series of recent incidents, including one last week when a photographer set up a “hide” in his car with sheets and supplies of food and drink as he staked out a play area.
Knauf said these tactics were “reminiscent” of past surveillance by terrorist groups and hinted that the photographers themselves may be at risk if royal bodyguards are unable to distinguish between paparazzi and would-be assassins.
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.
“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 letter documented other recent incidents, including surveillance of the Berkshire home of the Duchess’s parents Carole and Michael Middleton, hiding in sand-dunes to take photos of Prince George playing on the beach with his grandmother, hiding on private property in fields and woodland around the Duke and Duchess’s home in Norfolk, using long lenses to monitor the prince’s movement around London parks with his nanny and pursuing cars leaving family homes.
Knauf said that photographers had even “used other children to draw Prince George into view around playgrounds”.
He said the intrusions had caused “deep unease” to the Duke and Duchess, particularly as they only learned they had been followed days later when the photographs emerged.
Knauf added: “The Duke and Duchess are of course very fortunate to have private homes where photographers cannot capture images of their children.
“But they feel strongly that both Prince George and Princess Charlotte should not grow up exclusively behind palace gates and in walled gardens.
“They want both children to be free to play in public and semi-public spaces with other children without being photographed.”
Related: Royal warning over paparazzi – full textRelated: Royal warning over paparazzi – full text
In the letter, Knauf said the royal couple had “expressed their gratitude to British media organisations for their policy of not publishing unauthorised photos of their children”. He also suggested that by employing tactics similar to those likely to be used by anyone wishing to cause the prince harm, unscrupulous photographers were also putting their own lives in danger.
He added: “They are pleased also that almost all reputable publications throughout the Commonwealth – in particular Australia, Canada, and New Zealand – and in other major media markets like the United States have adopted a similar position.” “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,” Knauf said. “[T]he incidents are becoming more frequent and the tactics more alarming. A line has been crossed and any further escalation in tactics would represent a very real security risk.”
He said the couple “have been delighted to share official photographs of Prince George and Princess Charlotte in recent months to thank the public for the thousands of kind messages of support they have received. “News photographers have had several recent opportunities to take photos of the family and these will be a regular occurrence as both children get older.” The Metropolitan police, which provide protection to the royal family, issued a separate statement, saying photographers were “potentially putting themselves at risk from armed intervention” during protection operations in which their armed officers had to make “split-second” decisions about the use of force.
However, he criticised the “handful of international media titles” who are still willing to pay for unauthorised photos and threatened further legal action against them. He said: “It is clear that while paparazzi are always keen to capture images of any senior member of the royal family, Prince George is currently their number one target. “We have made the decision to discuss these issues now as the incidents are becoming more frequent and the tactics more alarming. A line has been crossed and any further escalation in tactics would represent a very real security risk.” Detailing a catalogue of recent intrusions into the family’s privacy, Knauf said paparazzi had been discovered on private property in fields and woodland around their home in Norfolk, had hidden in sand dunes on a rural beach to take photos of George playing with his grandmother, and put the Middleton family home in Berkshire “under steady surveillance”.
Although it is not the first time royal officials have complained about media intrusion, they have rarely gone into so much detail. Young children had been used to lure the prince into view in playgrounds, while photographers had stalked the movements of George and his nanny – as well as other palace staff – around London parks and used long lenses to take images of the duchess with her son. Last week a photographer set up a “hide” in his car with sheets and supplies of food and drink as he staked out a play area.
Last year, when the Duke and Duchess believed their son had been harassed during a trip with his nanny to Battersea Park their lawyers warned the photographer to stop “following” the toddler prince. “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,” Knauf said.
Knauf said the palace was continuing to take such legal action. But he added: “We are aware that many people who read and enjoy the publications that fuel the market for unauthorised photos of children do not know about the unacceptable circumstances behind what are often lovely images. Related: Prince George paparazzi row: royals' truce with press under pressure
“The use of these photos is usually dressed up with fun, positive language about the ‘cute’, ‘adorable’ photos and happy write ups about the family. We feel readers deserve to understand the tactics deployed to obtain these pictures. The letter said paparazzi had “pursued cars leaving family homes”, which will raise fears of a repeat of the circumstances of Diana’s death. Charles Spencer described his sister as “the most hunted person of the modern age” after she was killed in a car crash while being chased by paparazzi in Paris in 1997.
Since her death and the subsequent public outrage, British news organisations have stopped publishing uncommissioned photographs and changed the editors’ code of practice to prohibit the publication of paparazzi pictures involving any kind of pursuit. A delicate compromise between the royal family and the British press has remained firm, with Clarence House providing regular official photographs of the Prince William and Kate, and their children, while regularly reminding editors, via the press watchdog, of their right to privacy.
The couple “have been delighted to share official photographs of Prince George and Princess Charlotte in recent months to thank the public for the thousands of kind messages of support they have received,” Knauf said, adding: “News photographers have had several recent opportunities to take photos of the family and these will be a regular occurrence as both children get older.”
But while the palace thanked reputable British, Commonwealth and US media organisations for refusing to publish unauthorised photos of the prince and his three-month-old sister, they said “a handful of international media titles” were still willing to pay for them.
In September 2012 William and Kate said they were saddened by a “grotesque” invasion of their privacy when topless photographs of the duchess were published by the French celebrity magazine Closer. St James’ Palace said the photographs were “reminiscent of the worst excesses of the press during the life of Diana”.
Further topless photographs were then published in Italy’s Chi magazine. The same magazine published paparazzi pictures of a pregnant Kate sunbathing in a bikini on a private holiday in the Caribbean a year later.
“[W]e are aware that many people who read and enjoy the publications that fuel the market for unauthorised photos of children do not know about the unacceptable circumstances behind what are often lovely images,” the palace said. “We feel readers deserve to understand the tactics deployed to obtain these pictures.
“We hope a public discussion of these issues will help all publishers of unauthorised photos of children to understand the power they hold to starve this disturbing activity of funding.”“We hope a public discussion of these issues will help all publishers of unauthorised photos of children to understand the power they hold to starve this disturbing activity of funding.”
In a statement issued later, the Metropolitan police, whose officers guard members of the royal family, said photographers were “potentially putting themselves at risk from armed intervention”. Although it is not the first time royal complaint about media intrusion, others have rarely gone into so much detail.
The force said: “The covert actions of photographers have at times caused concerns during police protection operations when they have been considered a possible security threat. Last year, when the duke and duchess believed their son had been harassed during a trip with his nanny to Battersea Park their lawyers warned the photographer to stop following the toddler prince.
“Our role is to maintain security and there is a risk to those who choose to use covert tactics when a police operation is in place. Knauf told the Guardian the letter was prompted by a sharp increase in paparazzi incidents this year and that the duke and duchess had been “heavily involved” in its writing.
“At a time when the national security threat level from international terrorism is at severe, all officers are at a heightened level of readiness. Related: A letter from the palace won’t stop the paparazzi pursuing Prince George | Anne Perkins
“Officers involved in the security of protected people are armed and have to constantly assess security risks. “We’ve noticed the paparazzi have started popping up a few times a week rather than a few times a month, and their tactics have become much more threatening and intrusive,” he said.
“Photographers using covert tactics often come to the attention of armed officers who take steps to stop and verify the details of those who raise suspicions. In the letter Knauf stressed that the couple were “concerned about their ability to provide a childhood for Prince George and Princess Charlotte that is free from harassment and surveillance”.
“Photographers are potentially putting themselves at risk from armed intervention where our armed officers perceive a risk to the personal safety of their principal, the public and themselves. “Every parent would understand their deep unease at only learning they had been followed and watched days later when photographs emerged.”
“When assessing potential threats armed officers have to make split second decisions regarding their use of force in order to protect their principals, the public and their colleagues. The Met police statement said: “At a time when the national security threat level from international terrorism is at ‘severe’, all officers are at a heightened level of readiness. Photographers are potentially putting themselves at risk from armed intervention where our armed officers perceive a risk to the personal safety of their principal, the public and themselves.”
“Whilst the majority of photographers work responsibly we would ask those that choose to use covert tactics to consider their actions in light of this potential risk.”