Catherine & William: 'Closer' Magazine and Breach of Privacy - September 2012

[rosana]

Rosana, it seems to be that you are one of those members who constantly twist the facts to write mean things about the Royals. Fact is William was on duty during the time of the closing ceremony of the Olympics - so Harry and Catherine stood in for him with Harry representing the queen.

He was on holiday during the closing ceremony of the Paralympics but nobody said anything about him being on duty and the Crown certainly was well represented there.

So where is this scandal you are fuming about? And who said what you claim happened in order to make in scandalous?

I am not twisting the facts (I may have implied he was on duty too). He was absent at the Olympics ceremony because he was on duty, they could not lie on that, his mates would know they were lying. Now, what was the real reason for being absent at the Paralympic'? A prior unspecified commitment, much more important for the two ambassadors to not attend. They were not only hiding they were in France, they were showing those amazing athletes how much they care!

Chi magazine is goint to publish, it belongs to Berlusconi. I dare say he doesn´t care much to lose a lawsuit.

 

[Mystiblue]

At the end of the day the public will always remember that the death of Diana was associated with the constant hounding of the press. This alone is one of the reasons why the British press have not gone near the photos - and why Kate and William should take a strong stance on suing to send out a clear message if any other photos that show personal moments of the Duchess and William, don't get published. As the saying goes, "start as you mean to go on".
Sadly in hindsight, Kate is probably wishing she should have never done it.

 

[LadyGabrielle]

Really? The Mail Online thinks Catherine was wrong because she should have known that there would be some idiot photographer waiting in the wings to snap some photos of her every move? Really? Come on, like you are really going to be thinking about that 24/7. Wow, since when did this poor couple have to start living in total fear and paranoia? If they cant go somewhere secluded and have some form of privacy then they might as well just lock themselves away when they go on holidays or royal visits. Honestly, this is just plain rude of the french press. I wouldnt blame them if they decide to not give interviews or even talk to the press for a long while. Not that the British press is at fault here but given the anger right now, I wouldnt be at all surprised if all will pay a price. This is the worst timing. First Harry, now this. All I know is Harrys situation was very different than Catherines being it was a full on wild party so in a way, it was bound to happen. Catherine was with her husband enjoying time away with him, doing what most couples would do thinking they are on holiday alone. What a shame it was ruined.

 

[Osipi]

I am not twisting the facts. He was absent at the Olympics ceremony because he was on duty, they could not lie on that, his mates would know they were lying. Now, what was the real reason for being absent at the Paralympic' A prior unspecified commitment, much more important for the two ambassadors to not attend. They were not only hiding they were in France, they were showing those amazing athletes how much they care!

There is nothing that states anywhere the as ambassadors to the paralympic games, they have to attend each and every function that is held. What royals attend any engagement in an official capacity is decided on by the Firm ahead of time. If the Firm deemed it acceptable that Wills and Kate had other commitments, who are we to deem otherwise?

 

[Happiness is sweet]

Not the paparazzi they don't give a damn if she is the queen the paparazzi will post whatever they want to post. Catherine didn't know so it's not her fault but still who is to blame here no one at all. Who cares about the Daily mail you know Italy and Ireland are the next to post it. Everyone knows etc. Big Deal

 

[XeniaCasaraghi]

I just feel so sorry for her to be violated like this. If she does do this activity at her own home I hope she won't anymore, you can't trust these *€%_¥@-$ not to act like perverted stalkers and spy on you in your most private moments. I do think there needs to be stiffer penalties for the *€%_¥@-$
Who do stuff like this. I'm proud to see them going on about their tour and keeping their game faces on.

 

[Happiness is sweet]

I mean what if she was by herself and William was somewhere in the Mideast she would of just lost it.

 

[HRHHermione]

Was trying to find the words to reply to your post last night, but then came across this article which pretty much sums it up. I still say I am surprised she took the risk but I do hope she finds the strength to get through this.
Duchess of Cambridge Closer photos: Kate Middleton was daft to allow paparazzi to get so close | Mail Online

I saw that article. I thought it was malicious and victim blaming.

 

[grevinnan]

If something is not right, if something is not decent then you don't just accept it. If people did we would be living in a very different world today. It is not naive for a woman, regardless of who she is, to expect not to have her body exploited by others. The idea that anyone would tell a woman who has had photographs of her nude body taken in a private place without her knowledge or consent to just accept it is just sickening.

For a celebrity like Catherine to not assume that she is a prime target for this kind of photos is not only naive but totally lacking judgement. She is not "a woman". She is the wife of the second in line to the Brittish throne. She stepped in to the limelight the moment she married William. The privileges that comes with being a royal celebrity carries a price. As long as there is a market for indelicate photos of celebrities there will be photographers chasing opportunities. We can all put pressure on our politicians to out-law these kinds of photos and assign severe judgements for anyone breaking the rule. But this is a big money making market. Perhaps the lawsuit William has started will bring some change but I would not count on it.

 

[Happiness is sweet]

Funny thing is you don't see them posting photos of Michelle Obama nude!

 

[EIIR]

For a celebrity like Catherine to not assume that she is a prime target for this kind of photos is not only naive but totally lacking judgement. She is not "a woman". She is the wife of the second in line to the Brittish throne. She stepped in to the limelight the moment she married William. The privileges that comes with being a royal celebrity carries a price. As long as there is a market for indelicate photos of celebrities there will be photographers chasing opportunities. We can all put pressure on our politicians to out-law these kinds of photos and assign severe judgements for anyone breaking the rule. But this is a big money making market. Perhaps the lawsuit William has started will bring some change but I would not count on it.

Kate is not a celebrity. She's married to a man who happens to be the heir to the heir to the British throne. That means she has certain responsibilities and has to accept a degree of public interest in her and her family, which I'm sure she understands.

Marrying the 2nd in line to the throne does not mean she's signing up to a life devoid of a fundamental human right that every person is entitled to, be they princes or postmen, the right to a private life.

If, as some here are suggesting, being a member of the royal family means never having the right to any privacy, even in remote private family-owned estates many miles from anything, then that's just incredibly sad. That's going to make the lives of these people intolerable IMO. We're going to have to expect that the enormous stress and fear that that will cause will make life pretty miserable for them, or maybe even untenable.

If I were William and Kate, I'd tell the world to get stuffed, renounce my titles and head back to Angelsey to live out my life away from the voyeurs and vultures.

 

[princess carmen]

I don't think Michelle would appear nude in public. I want to know where the security was why was this photographer able to get there in the first place suppose it wasn't a photographer but some nut with a gun.

 

[AdmirerUS]

I just found out that Chi Magazine was also the rag that published "the last photo" of Diana after she died. It was a picture of paramedics with her. Disgusting.

 

[grevinnan]

Funny thing is you don't see them posting photos of Michelle Obama nude!

Because there is not nearly the amount of money to be made from Michelle sunbathing nude as compared to Catherine. And if I would chose to sunbath nude I would probably have to pay someone to take my photo. The issue being discussed is photos of Catherine. I can not think of anyone that would have the same appeal to the type of magazine that is publishing the much discussed photos. Catherine is unique. Her life will never be like anyone elses.

 

[miche]

Was trying to find the words to reply to your post last night, but then came across this article which pretty much sums it up. I still say I am surprised she took the risk but I do hope she finds the strength to get through this.
Duchess of Cambridge Closer photos: Kate Middleton was daft to allow paparazzi to get so close | Mail Online

Victim blaming at it finest

 

[XeniaCasaraghi]

Um as a black woman I do not think we sun bathe, or a small minority do.
I am just shocked that there isn't more outrage when this happens? Why is taking a picture up a woman's skirt permitted? Why is selling a woman without a top in her backyard allowed? Why are private phone conversations from Charles and Diana allowed to circulate! Is there really no basic common sense and decency anymore?

 

[Iluvbertie]

Question:

Why would a magazine buy these photos?

Answer:

Because the public will buy the magazine.

Sadly again it is the public who are the cause of this because they will hand over their money to buy the magazines with the photos.

It isn't the press at fault but the general public and the royals themselves who made a bad decision - to undress in view of a public road on which anyone can stand to take photos. They weren't in a 'secluded' place if it is visible from the road - sorry.

I have no sympathy for Kate - she is supposed to be an intelligent woman (with a degree from a reputable university) but she showed total lack of intelligence in this case.

Long-range photography lenses have been around for decades and so they have to realise this and accept that nowhere in a line of site from a public place is 'secluded' but is open to a photographer.

Taking legal action will also only drag this on and create a bigger buzz and more and more people wanting to see the photos, including a call for more magazines etc to publish them. Had they simply ignored the situation, the demand for the photos wouldn't have had legs.

 

[miche]

Um as a black woman I do not think we sun bathe, or a small minority do.
I am just shocked that there isn't more outrage when this happens? Why is taking a picture up a woman's skirt permitted? Why is selling a woman without a top in her backyard allowed? Why are private phone conversations from Charles and Diana allowed to circulate! Is there really no basic common sense and decency anymore?

Society only views women as object not as human with rights

 

[Mirabel]

I am just shocked that there isn't more outrage when this happens? Why is taking a picture up a woman's skirt permitted? Why is selling a woman without a top in her backyard allowed? Why are private phone conversations from Charles and Diana allowed to circulate! Is there really no basic common sense and decency anymore?

Why?
Because $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[HRHHermione]

Society only views women as object not as human with rights

And treats us as if it's ok to treat our bodies as sexual all the time- like that's what we exist for and our consent is not necessary to treat us that way.

I've seen so many comments elsewhere about her body and people's opinions on it and what they'd like to do with her, etc and it just makes me feel sick. She's a person, with feelings, and her private time with her husband doesn't belong to the world, and her body certainly doesn't.

It also just makes me feel sad and a bit defeated that so many people, including a lot of women, feel otherwise.

 

[miche]

And treats us as if it's ok to treat our bodies as sexual all the time- like that's what we exist for and our consent is not necessary to treat us that way.

I've seen so many comments elsewhere about her body and people's opinions on it and what they'd like to do with her, etc and it just makes me feel sick. She's a person, with feelings, and her private time with her husband doesn't belong to the world, and her body certainly doesn't.

It also just makes me feel sad and a bit defeated that so many people, including a lot of women, feel otherwise.

IKR? Especially some "so call feminist" who are supposed to defend women against this, are acting like it okay b/c of who she is

Sometime I think we will never be treated differently or as equals. We will always be objects and many people including women will fight to keep it that way.

 

[NGalitzine]

Society only views women as object not as human with rights

I would wager a large sum of money that it is women who make up the biggest part of the readership of the type of magazines that publish pictures like this so it would be women objectifying other women.

 

[HRHHermione]

I would wager a large sum of money that it is women who make up the biggest part of the readership of the type of magazines that publish pictures like this so it would be women objectifying other women.

I don't want to go too far off topic here, and this is a complex subject to talk about, but any extensive study of feminist philosophy will teach you that patriarchal societies don't just warp the way men think of women- they warp the way women think of themselves and of other women.

But basically what it means is that the fact that women are participating in this doesn't make it any less sexist.

 

[Mariel]

Darla, I do think it is bad that their privacy was violated, but what is really bad is that this media owner, Berlesconi, is a voyeur and a lush, and caters to the tastes of voyeurs and lushes. If he is going to publish 26 more pages of this stuff--as another poster said--this may be the real issue. How to stop such a man from polluting our eyes and minds with the attitudes of lust which he himself has.

I would suggest that Wills and Kate take more precautions. Stay inside when having intimate times. No one needs to sunbathe. Some might say they have a right to. Of course they have a right to, but in their position they have to give up some of their rights. They have so many great privileges, and opportunities, like traveling the Far east, they should think of that. Or sunbathe next time behind a protective screen which prying lenses cannot penetrate, if sunbathing is that important.
I can't sunbathe even for a minute, because I have a rare genetic disease, which some of the royals themselves have. One has to accomodate to one's circumstances which life has afforded.

 

[XeniaCasaraghi]

I don't think this issue has anything to do with sexism or feminism; but the responses in this thread show that women are still just as cruel to other women as they've always been.

 

[HRHHermione]

I don't think this issue has anything to do with sexism or feminism; but the responses in this thread show that women are still just as cruel to other women as they've always been.

See, and I'd disagree. I think the constant watching of Kate's body- did she gain or lose a few pounds, is she pregnant yet, what is she drinking and eating and what does it mean as far as whether she is or is not pregnant, what's she doing in her private time, oooh... let's try and sneak a peek, look at her breasts, isn't it scandalous? I think that whole way of thinking about the female body is really sexist. I also don't believe the men in the royal family face nearly the same level of scrutiny.

Harry's pictures were enough of a privacy invasion- but that was him, nude, with a bunch of other nude people drinking and playing around in Vegas and they were only interesting because the story indicated kind of a night of debauchery. Also, the pictures were only released because someone in the immediate party sold them- there weren't photographers camped out hoping for a peek at his body. The pictures of Kate on the other hand... she wasn't doing anything particularly interesting, and she certainly wasn't doing anything scandalous. It was a pretty normal day of normal occurrences.

 

[Roslyn]

look they are just boobs the paparazzi were out of line but Will and Kate will have to assume some responsibility what with the Harry Vegas episode I would have thought the 'bits' you dont want the public to see on your body shouldnt under any circumstance be put out there even if there is the smallest of risk of being photographed.
I feel sorry for her but seriously if you are the Queen in Waiting topless sunbathing has to head the list of activities that you once enjoyed and can no longer do and Will should have been all over this one.
She is probably more traumatised by the fact that Charles, Andrew, Edward, Philip her Dad or brother have all seen her jubblies. It could make for a very embarrassing family gatherings unless she gets pregnant quick and puts them into breastfeeding mode when its ok to show a bit of boob in public. Oh well its happened now and is engraved in history for all to remember if I were her I would play the "They are just boobs what of it?" and move the conversation along to something else. Before it gets way out of hand spin wise.

I totally agree, helenbeee. It's really not a big deal, but I do hope they have both now aware of the need to make absolutely, positively, one hundred percent sure that they cannot be seen from a public road if they are going to do anything they don't want seen on the front page.

 

[Osipi]

Sadly, this couple could take the Virgin shuttle to Venus for a totally private getaway and wouldn't you know it.... someone has a high powered satellite trained on their backyard.

 

[Daria_S]

Sadly, this couple could take the Virgin shuttle to Venus for a totally private getaway and wouldn't you know it.... someone has a high powered satellite trained on their backyard.

Unfortunately, I can see that occurring. How depressing.

 

[carlota]

Hmmm, so If I were to bring my camera to your neignbourhood as long as I stand on a public walkway you would not consider yourself violated if I took pictures of you through your windows or on your backdeck where you might expect to have some levels of privacy you would not consider yourself to have been violated? Good to know.

that's not the point. you can take as many pictures as you want. i doubt you can do anything with them to be "malicious" to the other person: no magazine will buy them off you to publish them on their cover. it would be virtually no way the "violated person" would know you took those pictures and my guess is that you would delete those pictures off your digital camera after at the very most a couple of hours yourself: how weird would it be to show your holiday pictures to your friends and land to a picture of a naked stranger! (i bet that wouldn't make you very popular amongst your friends)

however, the situation with W+K is different as all magazines would want to publicise such material. so, on this basis, they should be extra careful, more so than the normal lambda citizen.

these positions come with lots of advantages and certain disadvantages. this is one of them, your "freedom" will be somewhat reduced, and i'm sure they understood that well by now. this is not much different from the pictures the press takes of kate going shopping in london or around for walks with her dog.