British Royals

Up-to-date news, info and analysis on the British Royal Family

Posts Tagged privacy

Royals Target Scapegoat in Privacy Fight

Mar 29

Posted by britishroyals in Kate Middleton*, Prince Harry, Prince William | 1 Comment

Kate Middleton’s recent privacy suit has gotten more interesting.  Rex Features has already settled.  Ikon Pictures, as well as photographer Niraj Tanna, are still under negotiations – but are also looking to settle.  Now, The Express publishes an interesting story on what could have happened and (more importantly) why Kate pressed charges for the Christmas tennis photos.

As always, take this story with a grain of salt…

Photographs of Kate Middleton playing tennis on Christmas Day were seen by the Press Complaints Commission as they were sent to ­newspapers, despite her claim that they invaded her privacy. Sources close to photographer Niraj Tanna say he was advised by the PCC that as long as he hadn’t ­harassed Kate and had taken the photos from a public place, he had acted within their Code of ­Practice. He continues to claim he did not harass Kate or take pictures of the family during Christmas lunch.

Tanna is, however, not fighting the case because he cannot afford to lose. “He can’t afford to go to court even though he’s got a good case. It’s a real David and ­Goliath situation, him versus ­Harbottle & Lewis”

The Express claims Tanna has developed good rapport with Kate over the years, and that her parents even approached him for some shots for their family album. As a photographer, he turns up in events not even the more experienced paps know about… and is suspected of having a mole close inside the royal circle. Nevertheless, Prince William and Harry despise Tanna. Harry has once got into an altercation with him outside Boujis nightclub.

So Is Tanna the royals’ scapegoat?

Article: The Express

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Kate Middleton Wins Apology & Damages from Rex Features

Mar 11

Posted by britishroyals in Kate Middleton* | No Comments

Kate Middleton, Prince William’s girlfriend, has prevailed in her complaint of breach of privacy over her family’s Christmas holiday in Cornwall. Photographic agency Rex Features has publicly apologised and agreed to pay damages, amounting to approximately £10,000 plus substantial legal costs.  This has been previously reported here.

Rex Features’ statement as posted on their website:

“Although at the time Rex Features did not know that an infringement of privacy had occurred, we now accept that this was the case and that by distributing the photographs we were a party to that invasion of privacy. Accordingly we have agreed to pay compensation to Ms Middleton and have undertaken not to syndicate any further private photographs of her. We apologise to Ms Middleton for what has taken place.”

Harbottle & Lewis said that Middleton would be donating the money to charity.

Article: The Guardian





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Republic Talk on the Royal PR Machine

Mar 9

Posted by britishroyals in HM The Queen & Duke, Kate Middleton*, Prince Charles & Camilla, Prince Harry, Prince William | 1 Comment

Here’s an insightful opinion from Emily Hill, a reporter on the Londoner’s Diary of the Evening Standard. She questions the often unreasonable and inconsistent privacy demands the Royal Family imposes on the press, and how she believes their popularity will continue to diminish over time.

“What I do want to talk about is the simultaneous claim that the Royals ought to retain their incredibly privileged position in society – their posthumous ability to shut down the telly schedule and so on – WHILST we RESTRAIN our unhealthy desire to read about their private lives – as we are constantly told we ought to do. Post Diana there’s been a concerted palace campaign against paparazzi photographs taken of the royals. Especially its junior branches.”

“In the coming years I think that the royals’ relationship with the media is only going to become more fraught. Prince Charles is deeply unpopular with many. Prince William has recently returned from Australia where 58% of Aussies want him to be the next king – compared with only 30% who want Charles. Unless Kate Middleton – or a future girlfriend of William’s in a Di mould – can bring back the Di factor I really think the monarchy itself will soon die a death – and afterwards it won’t halt the television schedule.”






Opinion: Emily Hill

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Kate Middleton Set for £10,000 Privacy Victory

Feb 28

Posted by britishroyals in Uncategorized | No Comments

The verdict on the Christmas tennis paparazzi pictures…

Kate Middleton, Prince William’s girlfriend, is set to win a controversial claim for alleged invasion of her privacy.  She is expected to receive at least £10,000 in damages, plus substantial legal costs, after threatening to sue a photographer and two British picture agencies over photographs taken of her at Christmas.

Sources close to negotiations over the dispute say that the photographic agencies have offered to meet Middleton’s demands because they cannot risk losing an expensive court battle. One said: “We can’t fight them. If it went to court and we lost, it could cost £100,000.”

The photographer is said to have taken pictures of Kate and her family playing in a private tennis court from a public foot path.  Kate did not object to being photographed at the time, and even greeted the photographer a “Happy Christmas.”  However Middleton is thought to have been concerned that photographs could also have been taken, through a window, of her family having Christmas lunch inside their holiday home.

A spokeswoman for Buckingham Palace said Middleton had not been advised or supported in her claim by the royal family, adding: “She’s a private individual.” A spokesman for Prince William said: “We have followed the case but not been involved in it at all.”

Article: The Times UK

Camera Ban Makes Kate Snap

And here’s another highly amusing story from Clive Goodman that seems like a desperate attempt to cover up the fact that he was wrong about Kate planning to take a job in New York as a photographer…

Kate Middleton has snapped over moves by royal aides to bring the shutters down on her career as a photographer. She had been planning to travel to New York to study under some of the biggest names in arty photo portraits. But officials blocked the move after persuading William it would be “inappropriate” for a future member of the Royal Family.

Article: Daily Star

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Royal Lawyers Prepare to Sue Over Kate Middleton Tennis Pictures

Jan 13

Posted by britishroyals in Kate Middleton* | 4 Comments

**Updated with reason for charges** As we can recall, Kate Middleton and her family stayed in Restormel Manor (which belongs to the Duchy of Cornwall) over their Christmas holiday in Cornwall. Pictures of the Middleton family enjoying a game of tennis circulated in picture agencies such as Ikon Pictures, Rex Features and Isifa. And while the British press refrained from publishing them in fear of the recent paparazzi ban, the pictures have appeared in Germany.  A German photographer, now revealed as Niraj Tanna of Ikon Pictures, is said to have taken them while standing in a public footpath that looked on to the tennis courts.

Now ALL online pics have been removed. Forums have been contacted to remove links to the private pictures. It is revealed that, as speculated, Harbottle & Lewis — the Queen’s lawyers who also represent Kate — are taking legal action on the grounds of breach of privacy and harassment.  It is understood to call for the pictures to be withdrawn from circulation and for damages to be awarded from both the agency and the photographer for invading her privacy. It threatens legal proceedings in the face of an unsatisfactory response.

Clarence House emphasizes that this action is pursued by Kate herself.  “It’s a private complaint being pursued by Kate Middleton against individual photographers who allegedly harassed her family on Christmas Day. Prince William was not present at that time.”

Kate is however using the same lawyers that work for the Queen, Prince Charles and his sons.

Gerrard Tyrell, a senior partner at Harbottle & Lewis, who was instructed by Buckingham Palace to mastermind the new press strategy last year, said: “I have sent a letter before action to two agencies, Rex Features and Icon, and am waiting to hear back. If there is not a suitable response we will take legal action.  I have been working with Kate for some time and we have been dealing with these issues.”

Why did Kate decide to press charges?  Because she and her family were pursued by photographer Niraj Tanna over Christmas.  It is suggested that he was responsible for trying to obtain pictures of the Middleton family during their Christmas lunch, and that he was spotted with his camera outside the window of the Middletons’ home.  Tanna has declined to comment.

So for those in doubt, let it be known that the royals’ plea for privacy is in fact real and taken very seriously.  And apparently, it is also very effective!  Until today, no one knows for sure where Kate and William celebrated her 28th birthday.

Articles: The Telegraph |  London Evening Standard | The Guardian | The Guardian (Reason for Charges)

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Sandringham Officers Seize Cameras During Sunday Church with Royals

Dec 29

Posted by britishroyals in HM The Queen & Duke, Prince Harry, Prince William | No Comments

Prince William plays with a child after the church service

Has the situation gone too far?  Security at Sandringham is significantly tighter this year — to the point that it angered regular royal watchers when Norfolk police confiscated cameras during the Sunday church service attended by the royal family.  Alas, those hoping for a memento of the Queen were unable to bring anything home.  They accused officers of treating them like paparazzi.  Besides, the Royal Family had previously said that public photos were allowed during the Christmas church service.  Sandringham officers admitted that the royals have not asked them to act this way, and that the move was a mistake

Article: Daily Mail
Pictures: Rex Features

Click here for the Queen’s Christmas message and details of the Christmas Day service

A Blu-ray Player for the Queen and a Whoopee Cushion for the Duke

I have no idea how anyone could know such details, but the tabloids say so…  Prince William and Prince Harry got the gadget-loving queen a Blu-ray player for Christmas.  And for their grandad?  A whoopee cushion — which they had to wait for him to sit on for a laugh.

Article: People UK

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