Just as Prince William was due to arrive at St Andrews University at the weekend, editors received a subtle reminder from the Press Complaints Commission about coverage of the prince’s activities while he is still in education.
The PCC sent them all a speech by its chairman, Lord Wakeham, made in June of last year, which pointed out the prince was still covered by Editors’ Code of Practice provisions on the protection of young people.
A PCC spokesman said: "Since Prince William started at Eton, newspapers and magazines have – with only very minor exceptions – been exemplary in the manner in which they have respected his private life and, indeed, that of other pupils at his school and friends during his gap year.
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"Lord Wakeham made clear in a speech in June, 2000 – at the time of Prince William’s 18th birthday – that the specific rules contained in clause six of the Editors’ Code of Practice, relating to coverage of schoolchildren, inevitably no longer applied after he left school.
"However, he also underlined that both Prince William and all other students at St Andrews remain fully entitled to the more general provisions of the code which protect all young people. This includes, most importantly, a right to respect for private and family life and freedom from harassment and pursuit – as well, of course, as an entitlement that what is written about any student is accurate.
"Editors themselves have made clear that Prince William is protected by their code in the same way as all other young people – no more and no less.
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"The PCC will continue to play its role in ensuring that all students at St Andrews – indeed students at any university – are protected by the code and have quick, effective and free redress through the commission if anything goes wrong."
A Press Association interview with the prince in the Sunday nationals was laid on by St James’s Palace in the hope that such access would satisfy the press hunger for stories of the 19 year old.
Prince William said during the interview that he hoped the press had got enough from the coverage over the weekend. "The way the media treated me in my gap year was great and if that could continue everyone would be happy, especially me," he pleaded. But, he added: "If it does get too intrusive, I will feel really uncomfortable. It would take a lot to really irritate me but, if other people are getting fed up with the fact that I am causing them to be hassled and are stopping talking to me, I’ll have to think about it all again."
The palace was said to have believed the exercise went smoothly and the commission noted that, as far as it knew, all the press left the university town after the interview and photographs.
Just as Prince William was due to arrive at St Andrews University at the weekend, editors received a subtle reminder from the Press Complaints Commission about coverage of the prince’s activities while he is still in education.
The PCC sent them all a speech by its chairman, Lord Wakeham, made in June of last year, which pointed out the prince was still covered by Editors’ Code of Practice provisions on the protection of young people.
A PCC spokesman said: "Since Prince William started at Eton, newspapers and magazines have – with only very minor exceptions – been exemplary in the manner in which they have respected his private life and, indeed, that of other pupils at his school and friends during his gap year.
"Lord Wakeham made clear in a speech in June, 2000 – at the time of Prince William’s 18th birthday – that the specific rules contained in clause six of the Editors’ Code of Practice, relating to coverage of schoolchildren, inevitably no longer applied after he left school.
"However, he also underlined that both Prince William and all other students at St Andrews remain fully entitled to the more general provisions of the code which protect all young people. This includes, most importantly, a right to respect for private and family life and freedom from harassment and pursuit – as well, of course, as an entitlement that what is written about any student is accurate.
"Editors themselves have made clear that Prince William is protected by their code in the same way as all other young people – no more and no less.
"The PCC will continue to play its role in ensuring that all students at St Andrews – indeed students at any university – are protected by the code and have quick, effective and free redress through the commission if anything goes wrong."
A Press Association interview with the prince in the Sunday nationals was laid on by St James’s Palace in the hope that such access would satisfy the press hunger for stories of the 19 year old.
Prince William said during the interview that he hoped the press had got enough from the coverage over the weekend. "The way the media treated me in my gap year was great and if that could continue everyone would be happy, especially me," he pleaded. But, he added: "If it does get too intrusive, I will feel really uncomfortable. It would take a lot to really irritate me but, if other people are getting fed up with the fact that I am causing them to be hassled and are stopping talking to me, I’ll have to think about it all again."
The palace was said to have believed the exercise went smoothly and the commission noted that, as far as it knew, all the press left the university town after the interview and photographs.
Just as Prince William was due to arrive at St Andrews University at the weekend, editors received a subtle reminder from the Press Complaints Commission about coverage of the prince’s activities while he is still in education.
The PCC sent them all a speech by its chairman, Lord Wakeham, made in June of last year, which pointed out the prince was still covered by Editors’ Code of Practice provisions on the protection of young people.
A PCC spokesman said: "Since Prince William started at Eton, newspapers and magazines have – with only very minor exceptions – been exemplary in the manner in which they have respected his private life and, indeed, that of other pupils at his school and friends during his gap year.
"Lord Wakeham made clear in a speech in June, 2000 – at the time of Prince William’s 18th birthday – that the specific rules contained in clause six of the Editors’ Code of Practice, relating to coverage of schoolchildren, inevitably no longer applied after he left school.
"However, he also underlined that both Prince William and all other students at St Andrews remain fully entitled to the more general provisions of the code which protect all young people. This includes, most importantly, a right to respect for private and family life and freedom from harassment and pursuit – as well, of course, as an entitlement that what is written about any student is accurate.
"Editors themselves have made clear that Prince William is protected by their code in the same way as all other young people – no more and no less.
"The PCC will continue to play its role in ensuring that all students at St Andrews – indeed students at any university – are protected by the code and have quick, effective and free redress through the commission if anything goes wrong."
A Press Association interview with the prince in the Sunday nationals was laid on by St James’s Palace in the hope that such access would satisfy the press hunger for stories of the 19 year old.
Prince William said during the interview that he hoped the press had got enough from the coverage over the weekend. "The way the media treated me in my gap year was great and if that could continue everyone would be happy, especially me," he pleaded. But, he added: "If it does get too intrusive, I will feel really uncomfortable. It would take a lot to really irritate me but, if other people are getting fed up with the fact that I am causing them to be hassled and are stopping talking to me, I’ll have to think about it all again."
The palace was said to have believed the exercise went smoothly and the commission noted that, as far as it knew, all the press left the university town after the interview and photographs.
Just as Prince William was due to arrive at St Andrews University at the weekend, editors received a subtle reminder from the Press Complaints Commission about coverage of the prince’s activities while he is still in education.
The PCC sent them all a speech by its chairman, Lord Wakeham, made in June of last year, which pointed out the prince was still covered by Editors’ Code of Practice provisions on the protection of young people.
A PCC spokesman said: "Since Prince William started at Eton, newspapers and magazines have – with only very minor exceptions – been exemplary in the manner in which they have respected his private life and, indeed, that of other pupils at his school and friends during his gap year.
"Lord Wakeham made clear in a speech in June, 2000 – at the time of Prince William’s 18th birthday – that the specific rules contained in clause six of the Editors’ Code of Practice, relating to coverage of schoolchildren, inevitably no longer applied after he left school.
"However, he also underlined that both Prince William and all other students at St Andrews remain fully entitled to the more general provisions of the code which protect all young people. This includes, most importantly, a right to respect for private and family life and freedom from harassment and pursuit – as well, of course, as an entitlement that what is written about any student is accurate.
"Editors themselves have made clear that Prince William is protected by their code in the same way as all other young people – no more and no less.
"The PCC will continue to play its role in ensuring that all students at St Andrews – indeed students at any university – are protected by the code and have quick, effective and free redress through the commission if anything goes wrong."
A Press Association interview with the prince in the Sunday nationals was laid on by St James’s Palace in the hope that such access would satisfy the press hunger for stories of the 19 year old.
Prince William said during the interview that he hoped the press had got enough from the coverage over the weekend. "The way the media treated me in my gap year was great and if that could continue everyone would be happy, especially me," he pleaded. But, he added: "If it does get too intrusive, I will feel really uncomfortable. It would take a lot to really irritate me but, if other people are getting fed up with the fact that I am causing them to be hassled and are stopping talking to me, I’ll have to think about it all again."
The palace was said to have believed the exercise went smoothly and the commission noted that, as far as it knew, all the press left the university town after the interview and photographs.
By Jean Morgan
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