Prince William is personally masterminding attempts to ensure that his girlfriend, Kate Middleton, can pursue a "normal" life and career away from the prying lenses of the paparazzi.

　　The Sunday Telegraph has learnt that the prince has mastered complex privacy laws and may ask lawyers to go to the European Court of Human Rights if the situation worsens.

　　According to his friends, Prince William feels that Miss Middleton's future happiness and the survival of their relationship depend on protecting her from overly-intrusive photographers.

　　The prince, 23, held discussions with Miss Middleton's millionaire father, Michael, over publication of photographs in the autumn of her on a London bus going for a job interview.

　　Last month, Miss Middleton was again photographed in London, shopping with her mother, Carole.

　　It is understood that the prince and Mr Middleton were behind the decision in October to send a solicitors' letter to newspapers requesting that details of her private life remain private.

　　The letter, from Harbottle & Lewis, who act for Miss Middleton and advise the prince on media matters, also questioned whether some photographers had breached guidelines from the Press Complaints Commission, the media watchdog.

　　The prince has been briefed on privacy issues by Paddy Harverson, his father's communications secretary. If necessary, Mr Harverson, in turn, consults Gerrard Tyrrell, also of Harbottle & Lewis, Prince Charles's media lawyer.

　　Friends of Prince William say he is devoted to Miss Middleton. The relationship is considered so serious that she is reported to have met the Queen. One courtier said: "There is no big issue at the moment because the level of intrusion has calmed down. But this is something Prince William is concerned about. He has learnt from his own experiences but he has always had concerns for others who have suffered intrusion solely because of their links to him."

　　The Sunday Telegraph understands that Prince William wanted to know the implications for his girlfriend of the landmark ruling won by Princess Caroline of Monaco last year in the Strasbourg court.

　　The ruling, after years of harassment by the paparazzi, prevented the German press from publishing photographs or her and her children. The court said the German courts had failed to prevent her privacy being violated.

　　Prince William and Miss Middleton, also 23, were students at St Andrews University. They have been going out together for two years and shared a property while studying.

　　During his time at St Andrews the prince was protected from intrusion under a deal between Clarence House, the PCC and newspaper editors. Britain has no simple privacy law, although the public has rights under trespass and other laws.

　　Friends say Prince William was wary of the media even before his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales died in a car crash in Paris while fleeing photographers.

　　In 1996 the Prince of Wales spearheaded moves to restrict media access at Balmoral because his son had become reluctant to go there after previous intrusions.

　　A PCC spokesman said yesterday: "Neither Prince William nor Kate Middleton enjoy any special protection. However, our Code of Practice is for everyone and they are entitled to lodge a complaint under it like anyone else."