Insight

Privacy breach after Kate photo scandal

Privacy breach after Kate photo scandal

The recent Duchess of Cambridge (Kate Middleton) photo scandal has reignited the debate of the role of the press in reporting the lives of celebrities and the Royal Family. We asked 2,003 UK adults for their views on celebrity and Royal Family privacy.

Just over half (55%) agree that celebrities are not entitled to the same degree or privacy as ordinary people if they expect to profit from being in the public eye. Two fifths (41%) take a similar stance on the Royals, agreeing that the UK?s most iconic family should not be immune from press intrusion. Londoners (24%) appear to be more interested in the lives of those in the public eye than those living in the East of England (14%).

The recent resurgence in ?Royal love? due to the younger members of the Royal Family taking centre stage sees three in ten (30%) agree that they are celebrities and should be treated like any others. Positively for the Windsors, almost half (47%) disagree and don?t see them being like ?any other celebrity?. Luckily for the Duchess, the UK public are supportive of her and her right to privacy, with half (51%) agreeing they would be less likely to buy a newspaper publishing her now infamous holiday snaps. A higher proportion being female(57%) who agree compared to males (44%).

Opinium Research carried out an online survey of 2,003 UK adults aged 18+ from 18th to 20th Septemeber 2012. Results have been weighted to nationally representative criteria.