Duchess of Cambridge Sues for Invasion of Privacy
Invasion of privacy is a longstanding drama for the British Royal Family. Twenty year ago, Princess Diana lost her life while fleeing paparazzi in Paris. More recently, in 2012, the Duchess of Cambridge was photographed topless while vacationing at a private chateau, owned by the Queen’s nephew, Viscount Linley, in Provence. The photographers used long lenses to get the shots and the photos were published in Closer, a French magazine under the headline “Oh my God!”.
An official statement expressed the couples’ belief that “the incident was a serious breach of privacy, and their royal highnesses felt it essential to pursue all legal remedies.” Prince William and Kate Middleton pressed charges, seeking €1.5 million or approximately $1.8 million.
Immediately after the publication in Closer the couple was granted an immediate injunction, preventing the photos from being used elsewhere. In September 2017, the French court in Nanterre awarded €100,000 and interest in damages to the couple. Additionally, the editor of Closer magazine and the chief executive of Mondadori, the publishing group that owns Closer, were fined the maximum amount under French law (€45,000 or $53,500). However, according to CNN, Closer’s lawyers claimed that the fines were “somewhat exaggerated” and that the decision brought up issues of freedom of the press.
Maybe you are not a member of the British Royal Family, but if your privacy has been violated, you have a right to legal redress. Hutcherson Law consists of a team of knowledgeable and experienced invasion of privacy lawyers. If you believe that someone has invaded your privacy, contact Hutcherson Law’s invasion of privacy lawyers today.