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This is not unfamiliar terrain for Prince William or indeed for his family.

To be found wanting in the eyes of the tabloids is an occupational hazard that has dogged them for decades.

When the prince decided to ski with his mates rather than leave early and attend a church service that mattered to his grandmother, he could have predicted that he would be judged to have made an error of judgement.

It was an error that he can regret at leisure.

But what he couldn't necessarily have predicted was that he would have remained headline news for so long.

The future king is wary of the media. The newspapers are increasingly concerned at his attempts to bypass them and use social media instead.

The next test will come in the autumn when he becomes a full-time senior royal.

If by then there isn't a noticeable increase in his royal workload, there's a risk the tabloids will once again sit in judgement and once again find Prince William wanting.