Charles in his beach shorts and a picture we’re banned from printing
IMAGES of the future king, barechested in bright yellow swimming shorts, were broadcast to millions of Australians yesterday – while British media were banned from using them.
They were taken as Prince Charles sunbathed with the Duchess of Cornwall – looking trim in a low-cut blue swimsuit – at the official Perth residence of Western Australia’s Governor.
The couple are touring the country and had taken a few hours from their schedule yesterday to relax in the 100F (38C) heat.
The footage was widely viewed on national television and published on Australian websites, with royal aides declaring they were ‘relaxed’ about the publication.
However, the images cannot be seen in the UK as British media were asked by Clarence House to refrain from publishing, out of ‘respect for the couple’s privacy’.
Last year, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were pictured off-duty in the private grounds of another governor’s residence in Sydney.
The couple were photographed walking hand in hand in the gardens, while Kate was also snapped playing with her then year-old son, Prince George.
Then, like now, royal aides declared they were ‘very relaxed’ about the pictures – but warned British media that using them would be considered a clear breach of privacy.
A Clarence House official said the images of Charles and Camilla ‘were taken during a day off whilst Their Royal Highnesses are clearly enjoying private time’.
A spokesman declined to comment on whether they planned to make an official complaint to media concerned, but it does not appear legal action is being considered.
Charles and Camilla were enjoying a day off from their 12-day tour of Australia and New Zealand, where they have enjoyed a warm welcome from huge crowds.
The prince, who turns 67 today, and his wife headed off through the extensive grounds of the 19th-century Government House where they are staying to the swimming pool.
The couple were filmed by Australia’s Channel Seven and Channel Nine. Images were also published by The West Australian newspaper and found their way on to videosharing website YouTube.
The grainy footage shows Camilla in a floral dress and flip-flops, carrying a white parasol, which she later uses to playfully poke Charles as he lies on a lounger.
The prince gets up, displaying his shorts – covered in dolphins and believed to be by £160-apair French label Vilebrequin – and what the newspaper calls a ‘fit-looking’ physique.
Charles, sporting Ray Ban sunglasses, appears to hand his wife a sunhat which she gives back to him, before he laughingly offers her another. According to the newspaper, Charles was ‘protecting the royal cranium with one of a number of good old Aussie hats’.
Camilla was seen reading The Dust That Falls From Dreams by Louis de Bernieres.
Niri Shan, head of media law at Taylor Wessing, said members of the Royal Family were treading a ‘dangerous’ line by refusing to condone such pictures abroad while preventing publication in the UK.
‘If the same situation arose in England it is likely an English court would hold that … privacy had been infringed,’ he said.
‘I think the danger, however, for the palace in taking the stance that it is all acceptable… is that it then makes it more difficult for them to complain when a member of the British media does it.’
He added: ‘It will be very easy for this suggestion they are “relaxed” to be thrown back at them when a similar situation arises here… it is a dangerous line they are treading.’
Many royal commentators believe the Royal Family are wary of a battle with the media in one of the Queen’s major realms, where the Republican movement is thriving.
But the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are still fighting a legal battle over images of Kate topless printed in French magazine Closer in 2012.
‘Treading a dangerous line’