Britain's Queen Elizabeth II has warned newspapers not to publish paparazzi pictures of the royal family, Buckingham Palace said Sunday, as the royals prepare for their Christmas break. The sovereign's lawyers have contacted newspapers reminding them of privacy obligations under their own code of practice.
The royals traditionally spend their winter break at Queen Elizabeth's private Sandringham estate in Norfolk, eastern England. "There was a letter sent to all the editors, it was private and not for publication," a spokeswoman for the monarch's Buckingham Palace official residence told AFP.
"It was in response to many years of the royal family being hounded by photographers on the queen's private property."
The letter was sent through lawyers six to eight weeks ago and covered all members of the royal family, the spokeswoman said.
She declined to comment on whether legal action had been threatened. Last Christmas at Sandringham, the queen's youngest son Prince Edward was accused of beating a dog after he was pictured waving a stick at two quarrelling gundogs. Prince William, second in line to the throne, and his girlfriend Kate Middleton were pictured during a hunt.