In an unexpected move, Prince William and Kate Middleton have written an emotional public statement, pleading with the media to not stalk Prince George or their family to take unauthorized pictures using "dangerous" and "distressing" tactics.
The open letter says that a section of paparazzi fueling market for unauthorized pictures are going to "increasingly extreme lengths" to observe the toddler's movements. The couple fears that if this is how their family continues to be hounded, Prince George and Princess Charlotte will not be able to live a normal life, and spend their childhoods "behind palace gates and in walled gardens".
They also expressed concern that the paparazzi could easily be mistaken for someone trying to do more immediate harm, and seen as a security threat.
William and Kate also said that a "line has been crossed" in the last couple of months, giving several examples where the privacy of the family was gravely compromised.
"A photographer rented a car and parked in a discreet location outside a children's play area. Already concealed by darkened windows, he took the added step of hanging sheets inside the vehicle and created a hide stocked with food and drinks to get him through a full day of surveillance, waiting in hope to capture images of Prince George. Police discovered him lying down in the boot of the vehicle attempting to shoot photos with a long lens through a small gap in his hide. It is of course upsetting that such tactics - reminiscent as they are of past surveillance by groups intent on doing more than capturing images - are being deployed to profit from the image of a two-year old boy."
The letter said that this was not an isolated incidence, but in recent months, other photographers have also been involved in the needless chase of a family who wants to live a normal life just like any other family.
They mentioned incidents where paparazzi monitored movements of Prince George and Palace staff around London, hidden in fields surrounding their property in Norfolk, taken pictures of friend's children, pursued cars leaving family homes, and even placed Middleton's family home in Berkshire under steady surveillance..
However, William and Kate said that "they are determined to keep the issues around a small number of paparazzi photographers distinct and separate from the positive work of most newspapers, magazines, broadcasters, and web publishers around the world," and expressed gratitude to British media organizations and reputable publications around the world to have a policy of not publishing unauthorized pictures of their children.
They said that many people who read and enjoy the publications based on unauthorized pictures are not aware of the unacceptable circumstances behind those "lovely images," dressed up with fun, positive language about the 'cute' and happy write ups about the family.
