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Diana sues papers over pictures

 
Published Nov. 10, 1993|Updated Oct. 10, 2005

Princess Diana sued two newspapers Tuesday for running pictures of her on an exercise machine that were taken without her knowledge.

Diana sent a team of high-powered lawyers into battle against the Mirror Group, which has pitted itself against the rest of the British newspaper industry by publishing photographs of her working out at a London gymnasium in form-fitting Lycra outfits.

Writs against the Daily Mirror, its Sunday sister paper and the owner of the gym who took the pictures seek to ban publication, demand the return of negatives and allege breach of confidence.

Suing for breach of confidence marks a strategic legal ploy to get at those selling and publishing the sneak photographs despite the fact Britain has no statutory protection of privacy.

In going to the courts Diana is breaking with royal tradition but joins figures including Prime Minister John Major who have sought to restrain the voracious tabloid press.