The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are suing the French magazine Closer for publishing topless photos of the duchess. Considering France’s privacy laws, they’re likely to win the case. But in a case like this there really can be no winners.
‘These photos are not in the least shocking,’ claimed the magazine spokesman. ‘They show a young woman sunbathing topless, like the millions of women you see on beaches.’
In general one ought to be wary of French publications bearing English names. The theatre supplement of Le Figaro, for example, is most unfortunately called Le Clap, casting aspersion on the entire thespian profession in the country. But this time the hack was right: that’s exactly what the pictures show.
Similarly, earlier shots showed Prince Harry cavorting at a nude orgy – like millions of other young men you see in any city, and certainly in Las Vegas.
Still earlier shots showed Princess Michael of Kent sharing a romantic weekend in Venice with a much younger Russian ‘businessman’ – like millions of other older women you see enjoying out-of-town trysts with toy boys.
Also, Kate’s late mother-in-law was photographed bikini-clad in the company of her cokehead lover – like millions of other women attracted to rich playboys of questionable reputation.
And let’s not forget the Sun pictures of the Duchess of York having her toes sucked by an athletic American – like millions of other women with lovelorn feet and love-hungry boyfriends.
You may also remember Kate’s husband, then her fiancé, snapped glassy-eyed with his shirt hanging out, as he was staggering out of a nightclub at 4 am – like millions of other young men who go clubbing, with passers-by hoping it’s not them the youngsters will club.
Then, after all these recollections, let’s remind ourselves that the royals aren’t like millions of others. Their lives aren’t entirely theirs; they belong to the nation they serve. They are born, or marry, into a life of great privilege and luxury – but also one of unique responsibility.
Part of that responsibility is to behave with dignity and restraint at all times, even at home or when visiting family and friends. For the royals aren’t private individuals, certainly not merely that. Inasmuch as they represent the reigning dynasty, they act as public symbols of the realm.
This is an exceptionally hard task, and it takes an outstanding person like Her Majesty, God bless her, to pull it off with such epic élan over the better part of a century. In the 60 years since her accession, the Queen has been implicated neither in a single scandal nor even in a whiff of an indiscretion, no matter how minor.
That takes extraordinary strength of character, and the younger royals have a shining example to follow. They must learn that valour isn’t the only thing that discretion is the better part of.
From what one can tell, Kate can make an excellent Queen when her time comes, which is more than one could say for her late mother-in-law. Though not born in the purple, the duchess has so far worn it well.
Nevertheless, contrary to what the Closer hack says, these pictures are shocking. They don’t show the manipulative exhibitionism displayed by some other royals in the past, but they do betoken a certain lack of care.
Announcing the lawsuit for invasion of privacy, a Clarence House spokesman said the incident is ‘reminiscent of the worst excesses of the press and paparazzi during the life of Diana’. Indeed it is. But surely because unscrupulous hacks have done this many times before, the royal couple should have envisaged the possibility that they’d do it again.
Surely they must know that, the moment their engagement was announced, the hunting season was open, with them the game and paparazzi the hunters. These reptilian creatures shouldn’t exist. But they do, and they are what they are.
I don’t know if Kate was indeed ‘visible from the street,’ as Closer’s editor claimed. But she was certainly visible to modern photographic technology, which now can even be mounted on drones. If the surface of Mars can be photographed with astonishing resolution, then the princess’s body can be safely presumed to be within reach at almost any time she’s outdoors, or even indoors with windows open.
Kate and Will are modern young people, and they are well aware of the technological progress of which modernity is so proud. But they represent an institution that isn’t modern but rather eternal, one that links generations past with those present and future. This means they’ve relinquished the right to behave the way millions of other modern young men and women do.
This is a big sacrifice on their part, and it’s made up of many small sacrifices, such as having to put up with bikini lines. But it’s something we can not only expect but indeed demand. They will one day become our King and Queen, filling the throne occupied with so much honour and distinction by Her Majesty. Given the swell of republican sentiment in the country, unless they’re careful they may not have a throne to occupy.
That would be their loss, and, even more so, ours. I do hope they care – enough to keep some garments on when they are within reach of spying cameras.