Support for Royals at All-Time Low "The Times" June 12, 2000
topa...@my-deja.com
June 12 2000 BRITAIN
Prince struggles to win a press pledge on William
BY DOMINIC KENNEDY AND ANDREW PIERCE
THE Prince of Wales is making a last-minute attempt to protect Prince
William from the paparazzi amid growing media excitement about his 18th
birthday on June 21.
The Prince wants official support from Fleet Street editors to prevent
William experiencing the type of harassment endured by his late mother
Diana, Princess of Wales.
The publication of unauthorised paparazzi photographs of William
playing sport in yesterday's News of the World prompted an immediate
statement of disapproval from St James's Palace.
There are fears other tabloid editors might be tempted to follow suit
in the coming days.
The Prince's private secretary, Stephen Lamport, will meet the Press
Complaints Commission this week in an attempt to thrash out a new deal
with Fleet Street. St James's Palace fears that there will be a free-
for-all when the young Prince emerges from a longstanding and
successful agreement with newspaper editors to respect his privacy at
Eton.
The temperature was raised when Charles Moore, Editor of The Daily
Telegraph, condemned the Palace as "unprofessional" in a row over
sharing birthday pictures of William with other papers.
Sandy Henney, Prince Charles's press secretary, resigned after it
emerged she had inadvertently given copyright for the pictures, taken
at Eton, to the Telegraph's royal photographer.
Broadcasters joined the fray over the weekend when it emerged that ITN
had kept copyright to exclusive footage of William at school which is
being stored in the royal archives.
The Palace said yesterday it was "dreadfully disappointed" that the
News of the World had published pictures of William playing football
and polo and wearing lycra shorts. "We will be taking the matter of
current media coverage of Prince William up with the Press Complaints
Commission this week and asking the PCC to give further consideration
to the issues involved before it sets out guidelines on the privacy of
Prince William after he leaves school," a spokeswoman said.
"The privacy of Prince William and Prince Harry at school has always
been of paramount importance to us and it is vital for us to reaffirm
the principle that the two young Princes, like all children, should be
free to complete their time at school without interruption.
"This is of continuing importance to us because, even though Prince
William himself will shortly be leaving school, Prince Harry remains at
Eton."
The News of the World said yesterday it had "resolutely" stuck by its
earlier undertaking not to harass Prince William, interfere with his
schooling or print unofficial photographs of him.
"During that time we have repeatedly rejected unofficial photographs of
Princes William and Harry and have respected their privacy.
"Absolutely no invasion of privacy nor intrusion was involved, and the
pictures speak for themselves."
Public support for the Royal Family has fallen to its lowest level in
recent times, with only 44 per cent of people now believing that
Britain would be worse off without the monarchy, according to a new
Guardian/ICM poll. Repeated polls in the 1990s showed that 70 per cent
thought that the country would be worse off without the Royal Family.
The poll of 1,006 adults also shows that the Royal Family is held in
less esteem than even its previous worst point in August 1997, when
support fell below 50 per cent for the first time just before the death
of Diana, Princess of Wales.
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Before you buy.
Irish_Val
William a "Windsor" through and through and Zero part Diana... they
may have destroyed their very own Monarchy.....
I love hearing how Diana was out to "destroy" the monarchy... and just
recently.... Camilla.... the woman who "almost" brought down the
Monarchy.... same with King Edward's wife....
Notice how they blame the wives and women for their demise?????
Expect something outlandish for them to try to drive up their
ratings.....
Wait..... and see......
LOl
Val