The Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Kate, have secured a significant legal victory in France, reaffirming their resolve to shield their young family from the glare of unwanted publicity. On October 30, 2025, multiple outlets including BBC and People reported that the royal couple prevailed in a lawsuit against the French magazine Paris Match for publishing photos and details of their private skiing holiday in the Alps earlier that April. The images, captured by long-lens paparazzi, depicted William, Kate, and their children—Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7—enjoying time on the slopes and relaxing at a chalet.
The case unfolded in the Nanterre Judicial Court, which found that Paris Match had infringed on the family’s privacy and image rights. The court ordered the magazine to publish a judicial notice acknowledging the breach and to pay the couple’s legal costs in France. According to BBC, the summary proceedings began on April 28, just weeks after the article’s publication, and included a June hearing before a final order was sealed on October 14. The latest edition of Paris Match now carries a court-mandated notice about the ruling, making the breach and its consequences public knowledge.
Kensington Palace, the official office for the Prince and Princess of Wales, did not mince words in its reaction. A spokesperson described the published material as “a grossly intrusive article and long-lens paparazzi photographs of their private family holiday.” The Palace emphasized the couple’s ongoing commitment to ensuring their children can “grow up without undue scrutiny and interference.” In a statement quoted by People and MSNBC, the Palace said, “The Prince and Princess of Wales are committed to protecting their private family time and ensuring that their children can grow up without undue scrutiny and interference. They will not hesitate to take such action as is necessary to enforce those boundaries.”
For many royal watchers, this case echoes a familiar tension between the British royal family and the international press. While the British media, by and large, respects an informal agreement to give the royal children privacy in exchange for occasional authorized images—a practice that dates back to William and Harry’s own childhood—foreign outlets have often played by different rules. The Paris Match incident is not the first time William and Kate have sought recourse in French courts: in 2012, they successfully sued the magazine Closer for publishing topless photos of Kate taken during a private holiday in southern France, ultimately winning tens of thousands of euros in damages for breach of privacy.
This time, however, the royal couple opted not to pursue financial compensation. Instead, as reported by People, they requested the publication of the judicial notice as the primary remedy—a move that underscores their focus on principle and deterrence, rather than monetary gain. The Palace’s approach signals a clear message: the Waleses will not tolerate invasions of their family’s private life, regardless of where they occur.
These legal battles are not just about personal boundaries; they’re part of a broader effort by William and Kate to craft a more private upbringing for their children, even as public interest in the royal family remains intense. The couple’s stance has been especially resolute in recent years, as they have navigated both joyous and challenging moments under the public eye. During Kate’s battle with cancer in 2024, for example, the family managed the situation privately before her diagnosis was disclosed in March of that year. In a heartfelt statement, Kate expressed, “William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family. We hope that you will understand that, as a family, we now need some time, space and privacy while I complete my treatment.”
The royal children—George, Charlotte, and Louis—have largely been kept out of the limelight, with rare appearances at public events such as Wimbledon or official family outings. According to E! News, the family skipped the royal family’s annual Easter service in April 2025, choosing instead to spend the weekend at their Norfolk home, a decision that followed closely on the heels of Kate’s public health announcement. The Palace has consistently balanced the family’s public duties with their desire for private family time, drawing a clear line in the sand when that privacy is threatened.
Notably, the British press’s restraint regarding the royal children stands in stark contrast to the more aggressive tactics sometimes employed by international media. The Palace’s swift and decisive legal action in France is a reminder of the royal family’s willingness to defend their boundaries—something that resonates with many parents, royal or not, who wish to protect their children from the prying eyes of the world. “The ruling affirms that, notwithstanding their public duties as members of The Royal Family, Their Royal Highnesses and their children are entitled to respect for their private lives and family time, without unlawful interference and intrusion,” the Palace spokesperson said, as reported by BBC.
This latest legal victory for William and Kate comes amid a period of transition and challenge for the wider royal family. News of Kate’s remission after cancer treatment, King Charles III’s own health journey, and significant changes such as Prince Andrew’s removal of titles have all kept the monarchy in the headlines. Yet, through it all, the Prince and Princess of Wales have remained steadfast in their mission to give their children as normal a life as possible—even if that means taking on powerful international media outlets in court.
As the dust settles on the Paris Match case, the message from William and Kate is unmistakable: family comes first, and they will defend their right to privacy with every tool at their disposal. For the royal couple, the courtroom victory is not just a legal milestone, but a statement of intent—one that will likely shape the way the media approaches their family for years to come.
