Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Current Events 4: September 2012-February 2013

[XeniaCasaraghi]

It's disturbing to me that some feel William and Kate should just ignore the Midleton's on Christmas and spend it with his family only. It's great to see that William respects his in laws as well as his family. I'm also happy to see that Kate isn't leaving her family behind just because she is married to the future King. They were with the Queen last year, this year it's her families turn.

 

[MARG]

Apparently William complained to the palace about the pictures...
Niraj Tana ‏@IkonPictures Once again the British media have been censored by the palace. Pictures taken ethically as always. #50niltowilliam
I think that's why DM took down all the photos

I'm a little curious, do we know which photos they took exception to?

 

[hkittybaby]

I think they will be at Sandringham for Boxing Day

 

[Baroness of Books]

I'm a little curious, do we know which photos they took exception to?

It was these photos, which I don't see anything objectionable to since they're outside of church and in a public area.

Duchess Kate: William and Kate Attend Christmas Day Service in Berkshire

 

[Daria_S]

Perhaps William felt that his wife shouldn't be pictured in the world press looking ill. I can certainly understand his sentiments. Of course, we also know that the press wants to make money, and any pictures of Catherine do and will continue to sell.

 

[Baroness of Books]

That may be, but if they attended the service at Sandringham they still would have been photographed along with the rest of the Royal Family. I'm sure the Queen or whomever wouldn't have required the Royal Family pictures pulled.

 

[Queen Penelope]

I don't see any problem with these pictures at all. They are out in public after church service. Hardly unexpected that photographers would want to get pictures of them celebrating the holidays with her family (especially when it was generally expected for them to be at Sandringham). Nice they are switching it up (and I hope they'll be joining his side of the family shortly as well), but, honestly, much ado about nothing IMO.

 

[COUNTESS]

Look, if you suck from the public breast, you are public property. Yes, the poor thing looks less than well. The photographers will be there, whether you like it or not. Censoring is disgusting, because like it or not, freedom of the press comes with risks. Sorry, I don't know if you have that in Britain. Privacy is what you give up, when you take your living from the public. Royalty is just a long standing farce, they are no better than anyone else. I think Will and Kate are great, lovely, but they have to think if they don't want to be photographed, they will have to remain out of sight.

 

[sthreats]

It was these photos, which I don't see anything objectionable to since they're outside of church and in a public area.

Duchess Kate: William and Kate Attend Christmas Day Service in Berkshire

Prince William and Catherine seem like a nice young married couple. He probably objected to the pictures with her looking so ill. Also I don't know how many photographers were there. Since she still in her first trimester and apparently is still having problems with the hyper emesis, perhaps it would have been better to miss church service this morning. Whether at Sandringham or at her mothers house people are going to her picture.

 

[Baroness of Books]

Well, that's just the point. Photographers were definitely going to be outside the church awaiting the couple and it would have been unavoidable to have photos taken, in fact expected. If PW objected to photos taken of his wife, then I think they should have skipped church services.

 

[Dman]

I just thought they would expect some pictures to be taken at church. Pictures of them at home is different.

 

[soapstar]

I too am surprised they complained. I can understand them having a problem with photographers staking out private places (like the Middleton family home or their vacations), but the church seems fair game.

I do understand that Kate is unwell, so she may not have wanted her photo taken, but they have to expect that they will be photographed when they are out and about in public places.

 

[Hollie]

Not surprised that William and Kate complain about the pics. I remember prior to Christmas, they have already appealed to the press to respect their privacy during Christmas, in which all the proper press actually did. Ikonpictures, which are essentially paparazzi, didn’t. I can see the reason why William and Kate won’t let this matter go.

And they do have the right to complain, since their pictures were taken without their premission.

 

[CanRoyal]

My understanding is that HM regards Christmas Day as holy day - that is why two trips to church are undertaken by the BRF on Christmas Day - to communion in the early morning (more casual clothing) and the regular Christmas Day church service at 11 am (everyone dresses to the nines).

HM is Defender of the Faith and, by all accounts, is quite religious. She would expect William and Kate to attend church on Christmas Day.

I do commend Willliam for doing what he believes is right for his family (which at this point is himself, Kate and their unborn child). If William and Kate decide that includes spending every 2nd Christmas with the Middletons - then they have every right to make that decision.

 

[Duke-of-Earl]

Well I thought for the most part, the British press and the BRF have 'gentleman's agreement' that Catherine and William and others are to be left alone when clearly on private time.

The tabloids long ago stopped publishing photos of Catherine out shopping or running errands so I don't really see the public interest argument to publish photos of the couple at a private church service

Give the press an inch and they'll take a mile. William and Catherine are the most photographed members of the BRF and IMO at least, we don't need to see photos of them entering and leaving a private family function

 

[MARG]

It was these photos, which I don't see anything objectionable to since they're outside of church and in a public area.

Duchess Kate: William and Kate Attend Christmas Day Service in Berkshire

If indeed these are the offending photographs William needs to get a reality check. He and his wife made a conscious decision to step outside of Royal Christmas at Sandringham. The notion that they could pass themselves off as private citizens at a very public occasion is unrealistic in the extreme.

Christmas at Sandringham comes with decades of tradition, tradition that includes both security and media. It is so scripted and refined it seems like it is barely there and yet, with all the senior royals present one would assume that security is more than adequate and the media relatively unobtrusive.

For William to think he could enjoy the comfort zone that Sandringham offers at Catherine's local church is more than a little naive not to mention arrogant. The "offending" photos are part and parcel of who and what he and his wife are. He had better learn to deal with it rather than becoming totally precious and expecting everyone to pretend they aren't there and that it is Christmas as usual for the locals. It wasn't and it wasn't for security or the media either. It was new territory for all and just because the media were there does not make it offensive, inappropriate, illegal or anything more than annoying. If he wanted to fly under the radar they should have skipped Church and stayed home just as they will need to keep a very low profile any time they leave the Middleton property.

William and Katherine had better learn to deal with the consequences of their choices, in this case a somewhat undignified squash outside the church and obvious cameras all around them.

 

[Daria_S]

Give the press an inch and they'll take a mile. William and Catherine are the most photographed members of the BRF and IMO at least, we don't need to see photos of them entering and leaving a private family function

This is something I agree with. There's no need for us to see certain aspects of their lives. If they were with the rest of the Royal Family, then I understand the pictures, but they were not, so there's no need to photograph. Yes, they 'belong' to the public, but for Heaven's sake, give them a break (and some privacy too)!

 

[Dman]

I think the press has done what the palace asked of them, respect the privacy of the royal couple and the Middleton family. I don't think press hounded the family at their home but I think they would've expected some pictures to be taken as they left church.

 

[EIIR]

The Queen instructed her private secretary, at William's request, to contact all the major press figures in the UK when the pregnancy was announced to ask that Kate's privacy be respected, particularly given the fact the pregnancy is in its early stages and Kate has been so ill as to require a stint in hospital.

One need only look at some of the reactions to these photos, both here and elsewhere. It becomes a matter of judging how sick Kate looks, whether she looks more or less sick than the last time we saw her, whether her face is fuller than last week or if she's put on any weight etc. etc.

I think they feel that given the difficulty of Kate's pregnancy so far, the press should be keeping a pretty wide berth, particularly when she's not on public duty. She's got enough to stress over without worrying if there's a pap behind every bush trying to get pictures of her looking as nauseated as possible.

Posters who have suffered from HG themselves tell some pretty harrowing stories about living with it. Let's imagine if, on top of all that, they'd had paps following their every move. That can only be detrimental to the health of both Kate and the baby.

 

[ghost_night554]

More on this
Victoria Arbiter ‏@victoriaarbiter I appreciate a request for privacy but to ask the British press not to print pix of Will & Kate outside church seems a little over the top.
British Royals ‏@britishroyals @victoriaarbiter Baffling turn of events. Does it matter that they asked the press to stay away beforehand?
Victoria Arbiter ‏@victoriaarbiter
@britishroyals even having asked the press to stay away they HAD to know that there would be snappers. To be expected at church so I don't
Victoria Arbiter ‏@victoriaarbiter
@britishroyals really understand the grumble. Especially if the photograhers weren't moved on.

 

[Duke-of-Earl]

This relationship is a two way street. The press and media make a bundle of money running constant articles about the Royals and especially Catherine

I don't think its much to ask when clearly on private time and there is no public interest augment, then just leave the couple alone.

Remember the press will be clamouring for baby photos of the new prince/ss and maybe even an interview with Catherine and William, so if the press want access to TRH when it suits them, then William and Catherine are entitled to ask the tabloids to respect their boundaries when on private time

 

[Hollie]

I think the press has done what the palace asked of them, respect the privacy of the royal couple and the Middleton family. I don't think press hounded the family at their home but I think they would've expected some pictures to be taken as they left church.

Actually, I think some press did hound the family at their family home. If not, how would the press know that they were going to church?

 

[HRHHermione]

I honestly think this was the wrong battle to pick. I understood totally when they went after the press for violating the privacy of their vacation alone, but they were in a public space when these photos were taken.

I'm not sure what the logic was here.

 

[Dman]

I don't know, I just think the church photos should've been fine. I think if they were pictured on the Middleton family estate (which is private property) then I would understand the complaint. I just think they should've known they would be photographed leaving church.

 

[Duke-of-Earl]

For 99 percent of the time they're in a public space, whether out walking, grocery shopping or doing whatever.
The press doesn't publish photos any longer of Catherine entering and leaving Tesco, so why do we need to see them entering and leaving a church service on their private time?

 

[HRHHermione]

I don't know, I just think the church photos should've been fine. I think if they were pictured on the Middleton family estate (which is private property) then I would understand the complaint. I just think they should've known they would be photographed leaving church.

Exactly. Maybe there's an element to the story that's missing? Perhaps the paparazzi were particularly rude and tried to get photos of Kate looking upset, or something like that?

That's the only reason I can come up with that would justify objections to photos taken in a public space.

 

[Dman]

Actually, I think some press did hound the family at their family home. If not, how would the press know that they were going to church?

I'm thinking that's where the Middletons go to church on a regular bases. Catherine and her family was pictured leaving church in 2010. So I guess the press knew they would be there.

 

[Baroness of Books]

I think it was announced somewhere in the press that the Duke and Duchess would be attending church services with the Middletons, so that was most likely a no-brainer for the photogs.

 

[tommy100]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/a...ess-Cambridges-public-appearance-private.html

This article from the DM states that only a few media outlets were written to and asked to stay away while others, including Reuters were not. Therefore when those who knew nothing of the request to stay away turned up and took pictures they saw no reason why they could not be made public. Furthermore the article states that there was even a press area fenced off and that cars were moved to allow the press a better view so a lot of very mixed messages going on. The DM also confirms that following a request from the couple the pics have been taken down.

Seems to me to be a very disorganised press office for the couple ATM, maybe worth remembering that annoying the press can make life more difficult for the couple in the long run.

 

[Hollie]

A baffling request to keep Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's public appearance private | Mail Online

This article from the DM states that only a few media outlets were written to and asked to stay away while others, including Reuters were not. Therefore when those who knew nothing of the request to stay away turned up and took pictures they saw no reason why they could not be made public. Furthermore the article states that there was even a press area fenced off and that cars were moved to allow the press a better view so a lot of very mixed messages going on. The DM also confirms that following a request from the couple the pics have been taken down.

Seems to me to be a very disorganised press office for the couple ATM, maybe worth remembering that annoying the press can make life more difficult for the couple in the long run.

This is certainly very interesting. I would agree that WK's office should have give a clearer message on whether or not they want the photographers to be at the church. Maybe they should have published the note on the official website or something...you know... so as the press have no excuse...

Similarly, I would also like to roll my eyes at Daily Mail's stance. I am quite willing to bet that they are one of those newspapers that were advised to keep away from the royal couple. But it seems that given the chance, they are quite happy to break the promise and publish the pictures, which in fact is what they happily did.