Kate Middleton: Expert on possible ‘comparisons’ to Meghan

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Security has always been a pressing matter for the Royal Family, with Prince Harry now preparing for a legal battle with the Government. The Home Office refused the Duke of Sussex’s request to allow him to personally pay for police protection when in the UK. Harry’s legal team claims his and his wife, Meghan Markle’s security does not have adequate jurisdiction abroad.

He lost his taxpayer-funded police security after stepping back from royal duties in 2020, shortly after moving to Canada and then California where he currently resides with Meghan and their children Archie and Lilibet.

The Duke of Sussex says he wants to visit his home country with his family, but needs to “ensure” their safety.

The application for the judicial review comes after his car was chased by photographers as he left a charity event in July 2021.

The Firm’s relationship with the media has been tested on a number of occasions over the years, including in 2007 when Kate was celebrating her 25th birthday, when she encountered more than fifty paparazzi and television cameramen who followed her to her car under the watch of policemen.

Some even chased her down the street, while others attempted to take pictures through the windows of her car as it sped away.

At the time, speculation was rife that Prince William was going to propose to his girlfriend of four years, with the press’ attention firmly on the country’s possible future queen consort.

William was angered by Kate’s run-in with the media, hitting out at the “harassment” of his girlfriend and saying he wanted “more than anything” for her to be left alone.

A spokesman made clear the prince’s concern, saying: “Prince William is very unhappy at the paparazzi harassment of his girlfriend. He wants more than anything for it to stop.

“Miss Middleton should, like any other private individual, be able to go about her everyday business without this kind of intrusion.

“The situation is proving unbearable for all those concerned.”

Because Kate wasn’t an official member of the Royal Family at the time, she was unable to have security provided for her.

She was working as an assistant accessories buyer in the children’s division of high street clothing firm Jigsaw.

Their offices were becoming a magnet for photographers, the Evening Standard reported at the time.

Ken Livingstone, who was the Mayor of London at the time, condemned the paparazzi’s behaviour, and said: “I think it is absolutely outrageous what is happening with Ms Middleton.

“The press have formed this great scrum of photographers.

“People have the right to grow up and live their lives without constant media intrusion.”

Princess Diana’s former bodyguard, Ken Wharfe, urged Prince Charles to consider employing private bodyguards for Kate until she became engaged.

He told The Guardian: “History appears to be repeating itself despite claims that lessons have been learned after the loss of Diana.

“As far as I can see the warnings have not been heeded.”

William’s anger at the press may also have been linked to his mother Princess Diana.

In the months before her engagement to Prince Charles was announced, she was photographed on a daily basis leaving her London flat to teach at a local nursery school.

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At one point she broke down under the strain and her mother, Frances Shand Kydd, wrote to The Times to complain about the harassment.

The paparazzi then came under scrutiny when Diana, her boyfriend Dodi Al Fayed and their chauffeur Henri Paul were all killed when their Mercedes crashed in a tunnel in Paris in 1997.

A police enquiry led by Lord John Stevens, former chief of the Metropolitan Police, concluded in 2006 that the deaths were a “tragic accident” and that allegations of murder were unfounded.

The inquiry also said that their chauffeur was drunk and driving at more than 60 mph — twice the speed limit — when their car crashed while being chased by photographers.

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