Press debate over naked Prince Harry photo scandal rages

In the post-Leveson Inquiry era, it appears that the national press is being a little..

15:34 23 August 2012

In the post-Leveson Inquiry era, it appears that the national press is being a little more careful; so far all UK newspapers have refrained from publishing shots of Prince Harry in the nude during a Las Vegas holiday game of 'strip billiards', despite the images dominating online sources in the US. 

 

St James's Palace confirmed to the BBC that it had contacted the Press Complaints Commission regarding the recently surfaced images of the third in line to the throne. 

 

These images, which stem from personal sources within a private hotel room while the Prince was on vacation, are likely to be seen as an invasion of privacy. 

 

Gossip website TMZ scooped the exclusive that showed the Prince, 27, and a young woman naked in a bear-hug position. Another image saw the prince covering his genitals. 

 

The Palace has confirmed that the images do indeed show the Prince and are not a hoax. 

 

Given their value to UK newspaper sales as circulation is dwindling, it's been viewed as strange that the media is backing away from publishing them. 

 

Former News of the World executive editor Neil Wallis told BBC's 'Newsnight' programme that the Leveson Inquiry (which examined media ethics and practices during a privacy invasion scandal) had "neutered" the press.

 

Wallis continued:  "The situation is fun, it's a good, classic newspaper situation.

 

"The problem is in this post-Leveson era where newspapers are simply terrified of their own shadow, they daren't do things that most of the country, if they saw it in the newspaper, would think 'that's a bit of a laugh'.

 

"There would be no harm done and they would not think any worse of either the paper or of Prince Harry."

 

Former editor of The Sun, Kelvin MacKenzie, also examined the situation which he deemed would have previously been frontpage gold, stating: "Literally any journalist worth his salt, whether at one end of the market or the other, would have said: 'Thank you God'.

 

"It doesn't affect Prince Harry at all. He is single and he is cavorting with ladies who wish to be cavorted with.

 

"So where are the issues? There are no issues except one - Leveson."

 

Broadcaster Vanessa Feltz, speaking on the same show, related the other side of the argument and praised our nation's eventual "moral awakening".