<p id=”par-1_30″>A royal photographer has exposed just how much he feels <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/prince-william/”>Prince William</a> “suffered” as a child. The paparazzo claims William reached his royal breaking point at the age of 9.</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-royal-photographer-shares-prince-william-s-heartbreaking-plea”>Royal photographer shares Prince William’s heartbreaking plea </h2>
<p id=”par-2_33″>Arthur Edwards, a royal photographer since the late 1970s, recounted the moment his heart broke for Prince William. Edwards shared his recollections in the U.K. documentary, <em>Prince George: How to Make a Monarch</em>.</p>
<p id=”par-3_38″>The royal photographer told a story of when William, Princess Diana, and Prince Harry were at a photocall in Switzerland. The royal family was skiing and had an agreement they would pose for photographers in exchange for privacy.</p>
<p id=”par-4_55″>In the documentary, per <a href=”https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/royals/prince-williams-heart-breaking-plea-34804851″ target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>The Mirror</a>, Edwards recalled William sharing a heartbreaking plea while posing for photos with his mother and brother. “I remember once when we were in Switzerland on a skiing trip and they would do a photo call. I recall William saying to me, ‘Please Arthur, no more pictures, no more pictures.’”</p>
<p id=”par-5_42″>Edwards added, “He was about nine or 10. He was very sad, he’s had enough of it and when I think back to that, I think ‘My God, how he suffered.’ He was determined that <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/prince-william-kate-middleton-taking-different-approach-relationship-2025.html/?swcfpc=1″>wasn’t going to happen</a> to <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/kate-middleton-prince-william-fourth-child-royal-insider.html/?swcfpc=1″>his children</a>.”</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-has-prince-william-shielded-his-children”>Has Prince William shielded his children?</h2>
<figure class=”wp-block-image size-full” id=”emb-1″><img decoding=”async” src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Prince-William-hobbies-1.webp?strip=all&quality=80″ alt=”Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince George (left), Prince Louis, and Princess Charlotte” class=”wp-image-3780725″><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”>Kate Middleton, Prince George (left), Prince Louis, Prince William, and Princess Charlotte | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images</figcaption></figure>
<p id=”par-6_53″>Prince William has taken extensive steps to protect his three children. Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, from the intense media scrutiny that plagued him and his brother, Prince Harry. The Prince of Wales has worked closely with Kensington Palace to implement guidelines for photographers, ensuring his children’s privacy is maintained. </p>
<p id=”par-7_38″>William and his wife, Kate Middleton, have chosen to release family photos to the press, thus reducing the demand for intrusive paparazzi images. This strategic move allows the couple to respect their kids’ right to a normal childhood.</p>
<p id=”par-8_25″>The prince’s protective stance stems from his own experience with media intrusion. As a child, William witnessed the relentless press attention his mother endured. </p>
<p id=”par-9_28″>Determined to provide his children with a more private upbringing, William has established boundaries. He shields his children from the overwhelming media spotlight as much as possible.</p>
<p id=”par-10_26″>Prince Harry appears to take the same stance. Typically, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet are only photographed or videotaped from the back to shield their identities.</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-what-did-princess-diana-do-to-protect-her-sons-from-the-press”>What did Princess Diana do to protect her sons from the press?</h2>
<figure class=”wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-tiktok wp-block-embed-tiktok” id=”emb-2″><div class=”wp-block-embed__wrapper”>
<blockquote class=”tiktok-embed” cite=”https://www.tiktok.com/@dailymailroyals/video/7420443978757147936″ data-video-id=”7420443978757147936″ data-embed-from=”oembed” style=”max-width:605px; min-width:325px;”> <section> <a rel=”noopener” target=”_blank” title=”@dailymailroyals” href=”https://www.tiktok.com/@dailymailroyals?refer=embed”>@dailymailroyals</a> <p>Throwback to this sweet moment from 1991 when Diana, Princess of Wales, was reunited with her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, on the deck of the Royal Yacht Britannia in Toronto after a separate journey during their visit to Canada. <img src=”https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72×72/2764.png” alt=”❤” class=”wp-smiley” style=”height: 1em; max-height: 1em;” /> <a rel=”noopener” title=”royalfamily” target=”_blank” href=”https://www.tiktok.com/tag/royalfamily?refer=embed”>#RoyalFamily</a> <a rel=”noopener” title=”princessdiana” target=”_blank” href=”https://www.tiktok.com/tag/princessdiana?refer=embed”>#PrincessDiana</a> <a rel=”noopener” title=”throwback” target=”_blank” href=”https://www.tiktok.com/tag/throwback?refer=embed”>#Throwback</a> <a rel=”noopener” title=”princeharry” target=”_blank” href=”https://www.tiktok.com/tag/princeharry?refer=embed”>#Princeharry</a> <a rel=”noopener” title=”princewilliam” target=”_blank” href=”https://www.tiktok.com/tag/princewilliam?refer=embed”>#Princewilliam</a> <a rel=”noopener” title=”motherhood” target=”_blank” href=”https://www.tiktok.com/tag/motherhood?refer=embed”>#motherhood</a> <a rel=”noopener” title=”dianaspencer” target=”_blank” href=”https://www.tiktok.com/tag/dianaspencer?refer=embed”>#dianaspencer</a> <a rel=”noopener” title=”rip” target=”_blank” href=”https://www.tiktok.com/tag/rip?refer=embed”>#rip</a> </p> <a rel=”noopener” target=”_blank” title=”♬ original sound – Daily Mail Royals” href=”https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7420444030477044513?refer=embed”>♬ original sound – Daily Mail Royals</a> </section> </blockquote> <script async src=”https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js”></script>
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<div class=”related-article related-article–simple”>
<span class=”related-article-flag”>Related</span>
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<a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/prince-william-darkest-struggle-yet-insider.html/”>
Royal Insider Reveals Prince William’s Darkest Struggle Yet: ‘Lowest I’ve Ever Seen Him’ </a>
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<p id=”par-11_50″>Princess Diana appeared to take deliberate steps to <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/grief-stricken-princess-diana-prince-william-prince-harry-feud.html/?swcfpc=1″>safeguard her sons</a>, Prince William and Prince Harry, from the media during their childhood. Understanding the relentless press coverage that followed her every move, Diana worked to strike a balance between her public duties and her role as a protective mother. </p>
<p id=”par-12_50″>Therefore, Diana often arranged private outings, such as trips to amusement parks, fast-food restaurants, and movie theaters, to provide her boys with moments of normalcy. Diana also collaborated with royal security teams to establish firm boundaries, urging photographers to respect her children’s privacy when they were off-duty from royal engagements.</p>
<p id=”par-13_39″>Diana’s efforts extended to fostering healthy relationships between her sons and the media to reduce tension. She allowed select photo opportunities during family vacations or official engagements to satisfy public curiosity while maintaining control over her sons’ exposure. </p>
<p id=”par-14_44″>By giving the press limited access to William and Harry, Diana tried to reduce the obsessive demand for paparazzi images. She tried to protect William and Harry, leaving a lasting legacy for her sons in how to manage media intrusion for their own families.</p>