Prince and Princess of Wales win privacy case against Paris Match | Prince William
The Prince and Princess of Wales have won a privacy case against a French magazine after it published paparazzi photos of them and their children on a private family ski holiday, Kensington Palace said.
William and Catherine launched legal action after their rift was published in Paris Match magazine in April, with a series of photos documenting their activities with their children at a French resort in the Alps.
The couple were photographed on the ski slopes, relaxing on the balcony of their chalet with Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7.
It is the second time the royal couple has successfully taken legal action against a French magazine, following Closer magazine’s publication of topless photos of Catherine in 2012.
A lawsuit was filed against Paris Match, owned by French luxury group LVMH, in April, days after it was published.
The magazine published the judicial notice on Thursday, saying its content “violated respect for the privacy and rights of the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children over their image.”
Lawyers for William and Catherine had told the French court that the couple had opted for the publication of the announcement rather than any compensation.
A Kensington Palace spokesman said: “Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales have succeeded in legal proceedings brought in France against the owner of Paris Match, who published a highly intrusive article and long-lens paparazzi photographs of their private family holiday in the Alps in April.
“The decision confirms that, regardless of their public duties as members of the royal family, Their Majesty and their children have the right to have their private life and family time respected, without unlawful interference or infringement.
“The Prince and Princess of Wales are committed to protecting their family’s private time and ensuring that their children can grow up without unnecessary scrutiny and interference. They will not hesitate to take the necessary steps to enforce these boundaries.”
The couple are understood to have filed summary proceedings as a quicker alternative to substantive privacy litigation, which can take one to two years. The decision also orders Paris Match to pay the couple’s legal costs.
William attaches great importance to his family’s privacy and tries to protect his wife and children from media intrusion.
The couple were awarded €100,000 (£92,000) in damages in 2017 after a French magazine published topless photos of Catherine sunbathing on a private terrace. A French court ruled that the images used by Closer, taken while the couple were on holiday in Provence in 2012, were a violation of their privacy. The royal family is understood to have donated the money to charity. The judge also fined Closer’s editor and owner €45,000, the maximum allowed.
