AU Media Slammed Over Royals’ Invasion of Privacy
Royal Tour Australia: The Australian press would like to explore a glimpse of the candid life that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge enjoy while in the Land Down Under.
There had been pictures of William and Kate playing with Prince George in Yarralumla Gardens by which the Australian Federal Police was aware when taken. These candid shots were aired by big channels like NewsCorp and Fairfax.
However, the photos caused for the Kensington Palace to issue an urgent warning ordering for the Australian press to leave the family alone. The warning was sent through Prime Minister Tony Abbott's office, Courier Mail reports.
Apparently, for the British newspapers protocol, the candid shots were already invasion of the royals' privacy as rules were against taking pictures of them inside a private property.
"We would ask that images already taken are not used further and that the TV networks and photographers, please, now allow the couple privacy during their time at Government House," the press secretary for Duke and Duchess wrote in a letter to Mr Abbott's office.
"The protocol, as far as I'm aware, is they are to be left alone on a private day," he said. "It's a small sign of respect, the same as curtsying or bowing. They don't ask for much," Australian Monarchists League Queensland spokesman Tristan Rogers told Courier Mail.
The Mirror tagged the pictures as clear indications of "invasion of privacy" as they were "taken by paparazzi without permission."
The Daily Express claimed in a report that the Palace was upset with how the Australian media was treating the Duke and Duchess, while The Independent upheld that the photos were "likely be seen as an invasion of privacy."
However, British newspapers might be overreacting as both Kate and William told their aides that they were alright with the photos.
At one point, Kate allowed press to take photo of her as she kick up her heels.
"There's no row, no issue, no concerns," Ed Perkins, communications secretary, told Courier Mail.