We woke up yesterday to the news that a paparazzi had trespassed near the estate in France where Kate and William had been on holiday last week and had taken photos of her sunbathing topless. Those photos had then been sold to the French Closer Magazine.
A magazine that claims:
The photos we selected are by no means degrading. They show a young couple on vacation, beautiful, love, modern in their normal life
That “claim” makes me even more angry than the photos themselves. It is about degrading, it is about privacy and circulation figures.
I sparked a bit of a debate on Twitter with this Tweet:
“Prince William wants to protect his wife”Well he might start by handing her a bikini top would be my suggestion.
— MummyBarrow (@MummyBarrow) September 14, 2012
Some followers told me that it was a private estate and shouldn’t she be allowed to behave how she likes in private?
I agree. She should be able to but unfortunately, in reality that just isn’t viable anymore.
Whilst there are gutter publications prepared to sell their soul to the devil in exchange for increasing the editor’s pension certain people will never be totally in private. Primarily the Royals. There will always be a photographer with a ladder and a zoom lens happy to sell their soul too.
Of course Kate should be entitled to be able to do as she wishes, and if that means sunbathing topless whilst on holiday, so be it. But she is fast becoming the most photographed woman on the planet and it is naive to think that paparazzi weren’t looking for an opportunity such as this.
William, of all people, knows how far photographers will go to to get the £10K shot. He has made no secret of his belief that the paparazzi are to blame for his mother’s death.
Kate has had all sorts of lessons on etiquette and “The Firm”, I am surprised therefore that she was not told that her days of being able to sunbathe topless are behind her.
It is absolutely right that the Royal Family sue over the photo’s publication. But it is also right that Kate realises she can’t do this anymore.
Which is sad but just as the Royal Family have their traditions and will never change, nor will the paparazzi. And I think it will be easier for Kate to change than it will some low life with a lens out to make a quick buck.
What do you think?
Well said as ever!
thanks Laura. As ever 🙂
I agree. It is a sad state of affairs that they have to worry about these things, especially when in private. Unfortunately that’s the way it is, paparazzi scum will never quit. I do really feel for them though.
Tanya, you also manage to hit the nail square on the head, I admire that.
Maureen
It’s sad that the low life’s don’t leave her alone whilst trying to have a break but you are correct it would be easier and less heartache for them both if she kept her bikini on, although unfair a couple of days of privacy is not much to ask when she is willing to be photographed and is always smiling the rest of the time for the cameras.
You are, as ever, spot on. She’s a princess (ok, a duchess, but it’s like a princess and sounds better) and princesses don’t get their boobs out on a private holiday in public (as in the big wide world). Surely it’s just not the done thing? Or am I a prude? Probably, but I still think that although she *should* be able to do as she wishes, the fact is, she is going to be queen, and wherever she is, she is going to be photographed.
As an aside, I love how Prince William is defending her and trying to protect her – chivalry at its finest 🙂
I agree with you. Yes she has a right to privacy but there will always be paparazzi trying to make a lot of money. I know the photos were taken from a long way away – but as has been said elsewhere what if it hadn’t been a camera?
Hi Tanya, I’m not sure I agree. I don’t think there’s anything particulary titillating or risque about topless sunbathing (as compared to, say, topless dancing) and the guy needed a really long lens to capture it. I know you’re speaking pragmatically (you just can’t do certain things as a royal because they’ll get out, whether they “should” or not). But shouldn’t we be vigorously trying to ensure the world conforms to certain levels of propriety and observes some basic level of privacy, rather than saying she should bend to the world?
Thought-provoking post!
thanks for your comment, Jen. I absolutely agree. And it is absolutely right that charges were brought against this particularly magazine. But as that one was being raided by police another publication in Denmark was publishing.
So unfortunately I feel that until an editor goes to jail for this and an example set these invasions of privacy will continue. Wrong. Absolutely wrong but nothing will change.
Of course, we are all entitled to privacy, regardless of who we are. Nobody should be worried about a lens a mile away snapping them.
But whilst there are editors in the world who are happy to see boost their circulations figures in this way I don’t think anything will change.