The Monarchy And The Media

[Alexandria]

Source: Afterposten

Crown Prince fears camera phones
Crown Prince Haakon told a meeting of Norway's media organizations that he feared that paparazzi would disrupt the life of the crown couple's children. The crown prince asked the press to allow children privacy but got no guarantees that infringements would not occur.

Crown Prince Haakon met with the Norwegian Press Federation (NP) to discuss the question of how the media should treat the youngest members of the royal family.

"It is important to discuss these problems before the children grow up and have their own young lives," Haakon said in a press conference after the meeting.

Crown Prince Haakon mentioned mobile phones with cameras as a particular worry and hoped that newspapers would not encourage people to invade the royal family's privacy in the hope of earning money.

The hour and a half meeting was described as constructive by both the crown prince and NP secretary-general Per Edgar Kokkvold. The NP's 'Caution in reporting' guidelines were mentioned by both sides as being of central importance, especially in coverage of children.

(Aftenposten English Web Desk/NTB)