Kate Middleton’s Reported Photo Deal Helps Shield Her Children From Paparazzi

Kate Middleton and Prince William have reportedly found a way to balance public interest in their children with a measure of privacy. In her book Catherine and Diana: The Inside Story of How the Princesses of Wales Shaped the Modern Monarchy, royal journalist Ingrid Seward describes an arrangement in which the family releases photographs of Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis at regular intervals. Seward says the images are shared on the Waleses’ terms, with Kate deciding when and how the children are shown. She notes that the Princess of Wales has often taken the photographs herself, presenting the children as she wants them to be seen rather than leaving their public image entirely to photographers. Royal commentator Phil Dampier told the publication that William and Kate are determined to give their children as normal a childhood as possible. He said paparazzi largely leave them alone, allowing them to spend time outdoors without being disturbed. Dampier also described Kate’s birthday and special-occasion pictures as a way to control the children’s image while helping them feel comfortable being photographed. Royal editor Camilla Tominey suggested that the regular family pictures give magazines and newspapers a reason to use clear, approved images rather than distant, grainy photographs taken without permission. The reported arrangement is presented as an exchange: the family supplies photographs on its own schedule, while the children receive more privacy from intrusive coverage. The accounts come from royal commentators and Seward’s book; the article does not provide a direct statement from William or Kate about a formal agreement with photographers.