Harry photos probe 'inappropriate'

The press watchdog tonight said it would be “inappropriate” to open an investigation into the Sun’s publication of nude photos of Prince Harry.

The Press Complaints Commission (PCC) said it was in dialogue with Harry’s representatives, who had not yet made a formal complaint, and that any investigation without consent could “pose an intrusion” in itself.

The Sun was the only British newspaper to defy a PCC advisory note not to publish the photos of Harry frolicking in the nude with an unnamed woman in Las Vegas.

The PCC had warned that publication could breach the editor’s code of practice on privacy grounds.

Asked whether they would, or would not, make a formal complaint to the PCC about The Sun's publication of the images, a St James's Palace spokesman replied: ``We are still considering matters and will make a decision in our own time.''

Commenting on their general position on the issue he said it had not changed since the pictures emerged and it was “down to editors to make a decision about what they chose to publish”.

The PCC said in a statement it had received around 3,800 complaints about The Sun’s publication of the photos.

The statement continued: “The Commission is in continuing dialogue with Prince Harry’s representatives but as yet has not received a formal complaint.

“The Commission would be best placed to understand these issues – including the circumstances in which the photographs were taken – with the formal involvement of Prince Harry’s representatives. In addition, an investigation by the Commission, without consent, would have the potential itself to pose an intrusion.

“The Commission is grateful to the many members of the public who have contacted it to express concerns about The Sun’s coverage but has concluded that it would be inappropriate for it to open an investigation at this time for the reasons above.”

The images led to global headlines after emerging on a celebrity gossip website last month.

Only The Sun defied a request to UK newspapers, made by St James’s Palace via the PCC, to respect the prince’s privacy and not publish the pictures.

The tabloid’s front-page image showed Harry holding his genitals and another inside showed him with his bottom exposed while apparently playing strip billiards with an unknown blonde.

Harry’s popularity showed no signs of waning as he cheered on British Paralympians in the Olympic Park on Tuesday.

The prince joined the crowds in a standing ovation for Britain’s women’s victorious goalball team before posing with ParalympicsGB athletes in the Aquatics centre.

The previous night, Harry had jokingly persuaded a six-year-old boy not to refer to his now-famous hotel room antics.

He crouched down to six-year-old Alex Logan, before letting him know the subject was off-limits as he appeared at the WellChild awards ceremony in London.