Prince William launches legal action over paparazzi photographs of Prince George in park

 
Legal action: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with their son

Prince William has launched a legal crackdown on the paparazzi to protect Prince George from being hounded.

He has sent final warning legal letters to two freelance photographers who work for the same agency who he believes have been pursuing his son during walks in London parks with his nanny.

The final straw came last week when one of them apparently tried to take pictures of the young prince in Battersea Park.

William and Kate - and Prince Harry - feel a line has been crossed which needs to be dealt with now for George’s sake - and future royal children too.

Insiders say there have also been a number of “clear privacy breaches” involving Prince George in recent weeks, including several near his home at Kensington Palace.

There was also an incident when a photographer was told to move on by police after being spotted waiting outside Buckingham Palace, where the prince is occasionally taken for a swim in the palace pool.

A senior source told The London Evening Standard: “Just like any parent, the Duke and Duchess want Prince George to have the freedom to safely experience normal childhood activities, like going to the park and playing with other children, without the threat of harassment or being placed under surveillance.

“One of the individuals has already been spoken to by protection officers about his behaviour in respect of members of the Royal Family on previous occasions over a number of years.”

Kensington Palace today confirmed legal steps had been taken.

A spokesman for William and Kate said “The Duke and Duchess have taken legal steps to ask that an individual ceases harassing and following both Prince George and his nanny as they go about their ordinary daily lives.

“An incident last week has prompted Their Royal Highnesses to seek reasonable assurances from the individual about his behaviour.

“The individual was spotted at a central London Park in the vicinity of Prince George, who was removed from the park immediately.

“There is reason to suspect that the individual may been placing Prince George under surveillance and monitoring his daily routines for a period of time.”

The spokesman added that although the Duke and Duchess understand the public role that Prince George will one day inherit, while he is young he must be permitted to lead as ordinary a life as possible.

“No parent would tolerate the suspicion of someone pursuing and harassing their child and carer whilst their child is playing in a public park or going about their daily activities,” the spokesman said.

Prince William’s move comes amid growing irritation at what he sees as gross intrusions into the private life of his family.

He is determined his son and wife will not suffer the same levels of intrusion experienced by his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.

She was killed in 1997 in a car crash in Paris – along with Dodi Fayed and driver Henri Paul – while being pursued by foreign paparazzi.

So far such photographs of Prince George have not been published in UK newspapers and magazines.

Only sanctioned photographs have been printed in this country.

But it is understood some of the snaps have been syndicated in foreign publications.

In the past The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge took action in the French courts over topless photographs of the Duchess sunbathing at a French villa which were taken from a public road.

Prince George turns one

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