Prince William complains about paper's intrusion
By Alison Boshoff, Media Correspondent
98/6/19
PRINCE William, who will be 16 on Sunday, has made a formal complaint to the Press Complaints Commission about a Mail on Sunday supplement devoted to him.
The complaint - the first by the Prince - will test regulations about privacy put into place after the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. It also signals a determination by the Palace not to allow media intrusion into the Princes' adolescent lives. One source spoke of the complaint seeking to "draw a line" for future reference, beyond which attention was unwelcome.
The Mail on Sunday supplement, titled William The People's Prince at 16, was described by a Palace spokesman as "grossly intrusive and inaccurate". Speculation about what Prince William thought and felt as he neared his birthday and allegations that girls were vetted and invited for tea were particularly offensive and "absolutely untrue". The spokesman said: "I think people are forgetting that 16 is still a child."
The Daily Mail had printed a similar supplement to mark the forthcoming birthday last Saturday but that had not caused offence in the same way.
The need to protect Princes William and Harry after their mother's death was a primary objective behind revision of the code. A section that outlawed intrusion into the lives of children under 16 was revised to protect all children "at school" with the birthday of William in mind.
This intervention reflects a determination by the Palace to extend a greater degree of protection to the Princes than their late mother enjoyed.
A newspaper spokesman said: "Last weekend's supplement was published to celebrate the 16th birthday of Prince William. It was intended as a warm tribute to the Prince and the Royal Family and applauded his achievements."
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