Prince William and his girlfriend Kate Middleton have yet to lodge a complaint with the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) but are reportedly considering ?legal action? against the paparazzi who chased them last week.
Picture: London’s Evening Standard newspaper published pictures of Prince William and Kate Middleton as they left the nightclub. But it was the behaviour of some photographers after these shots were taken that has angered Prince William
This morning, the PCC?s assistant director Will Gore told Amateur Photographer magazine that the organisation – which acts as the press watchdog – had not received a complaint about the incident from the couple.
However, the Daily Telegraph has reported that they are considering legal action for harassment or invasion of privacy against photographers who pursued them ‘aggressively’ on motorbikes, scooters and in a car after they left Boujis nightclub in South Kensington, London, in the early hours of Friday morning.
It is understood that at least seven photographers pursued the couple as they were driven away from the club, through the streets of central London.
Prince William is believed to be furious at the photographers? behaviour, which came in the week that the inquest opened into the deaths of Princess Diana and her boyfriend Dodi Al-Fayed on 31 August 1997.
Shortly after the controversy erupted, the PCC issued a statement urging newspaper and magazine editors to take care ?not to publish photographs which are taken as a result of harassment?.
The PCC is an independent, self-regulatory, body which issues a code of conduct for newspaper and magazine editors to follow.
The full statement, issued by the PCC on Friday, reads as follows:
?While freelance photographers are not directly regulated by the Press Complaints Commission, newspaper and magazine editors who are must take care not to publish photographs which are taken as a result of harassment.
?It can of course be difficult for editors to establish the exact circumstances in which a photograph is taken.
?But it is of the utmost importance not to use photographs which have been taken in a manner that may have compromised the safety of individuals, which may include pursuit in vehicles.?
The PCC quoted Clause 4 of the press Code of Practice which states that: ?(i) Journalists must not engage in intimidation, harassment or persistent pursuit; (ii) They must not persist in questioning, telephoning, pursuing or photographing individuals once asked to desist; nor remain on their property when asked to leave and must not follow them; (iii) Editors must ensure these principles are observed by those working for them and take care not to use non-compliant material from other sources.?
