VICTORIA, Canada (AFP) – Prince Harry and his wife Meghan started their new life in Canada on Tuesday by launching a legal warning to media over photographs of the duchess near their seaside bolthole.
Following their shock exit from life as working royals, Harry jetted out from Britain to join Meghan late Monday in a luxury house outside Victoria on Vancouver Island.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have temporarily set up base at the wooded home, having spent six weeks there over Christmas with their baby son Archie.
Their bombshell announcement on Jan. 8 that they wished to step back from their royal duties rocked the monarchy.
The couple, who married in May 2018, admitted last year that they were struggling with media scrutiny and have regularly hit out at the press in statements and in the courts.
Their lawyers issued a legal warning after various outlets on Tuesday published photographs of a smiling Meghan out walking her dogs with Archie.
In Britain, the pictures were used by The Sun and the Daily Mail newspapers.
Lawyers claimed the images were taken by photographers hiding in bushes and spying on the US former television actress, the BBC reported, and that she did not consent to the photos. The couple were prepared to take legal action, according to the BBC.
The lawyers claim there had been attempts to photograph inside their new home using long lenses, and say paparazzi are camped outside the property.
A freelance photojournalist working in the area, who said he was from California but wanted to remain anonymous, said the potential legal issues are “kind of tough,” but that he does not let them affect his work.
“Canada has freedom of the press laws,” he said, sitting in the driver’s seat of a white SUV with his photography gear on the passenger’s side.
“From what I understand, as long as you are not following them, harassing them, breaking the law, as long as it’s a matter of public interest – and the monarchy always is – then the press is free to cover it.”
