A message landed on editors’ desks this week from the press regulator IPSO:
“PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL; NOT FOR PUBLICATION
IPSO has today been contacted by a representative acting on behalf of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
Editors will be aware that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are relocating to the UK, along with their two young children. It is the Duke and Duchess’ wish that their children are able to grow up and enjoy their schooling and childhood safely and free of unnecessary intrusion and scrutiny.
The family are aware that news outlets will wish to cover their return. However, they have significant privacy and security concerns regarding the potential reporting of the family’s residence and the school to be attended by the children.
They therefore request that editors do not publish any information identifying the location of their home, or that could lead members of the public to identify the home, given the likelihood that this would lead to intrusion into their children’s privacy and potentially safety. For the same reason, they ask that the children’s school is not identified.”
They probably want to brief the name of the schools themselves. This is after the ‘world exclusive’ detailing their triumphant return to Britain landed in two national newspapers at the same time. Busy work from the publicists…
Commentators on X have pointed out that by staying away from the UK for six years the pair have secured Capital Gains Tax exemptions. Will be useful for paying those legal costs…
Lord Khan in the Telegraph: “I hope, and I say this in a non-pompous way, that the public service I do will bring rewards in this world and the hereafter,” he says. “I’m hoping the work I do is earning me Brownie points.”