“Years before, William had gone against the grain when he warned the Fleet Street photographers that he would not tolerate a life of intrusion. This time, he was ready to go to war with the press,” Myers said.
In 2017, a French court ruled in favor of Prince William and Princess Catherine, determining that Closer’s publication of the photographs constituted a serious breach of privacy.
The magazine was ordered to pay €100,000 (approximately AUD$165,000) in damages.
The couple also pursued legal action against Chi, owned by the Mondadori Group, over its decision to print the same images.
A promise of protection
Myers later noted that William’s firm stance was rooted in his early determination to shield Catherine as she transitioned into royal life.
“[At the beginning of the relationship], she felt, ‘If I’m going to put myself forward for something like this, then I not only need the support of William, but also the support of the institution’,” Myers told Fox News Digital.
“And as I tell in the book, William was absolutely integral to that, to say to her, ‘I will support you’, and to have the mechanism of the Palace supporting her as well.”
