three magazines - bunte , neue post and freizeit revue - piblished the pictures , which showed the princess skiing , horse - riding , sitting in a cafe and playing tennis with her husband , prince ernst-august of hanover .
german constitutional judges had said the princess was a " personality from contemporary history " , so could not complain about pictures taken of her in a public place .
but the euripean judges criticised the german decision .
they said the papers had violated the princess ' right to privacy , in breach of the european convention on human rights
every person , however well-known , must be able to enjoy a legitimate hope for the protection of .. their private life , " thr court said .
the court considered that the general public did not have a legitimate interest in knowing caroline von hannovers whereabouts or how she behaved generally in her private life.
the princess ' lawyer , matthias prinz , welcomed the ruling and urged a change in german law to reflect a persons right to a private life .
this is very good for my client and for all people in europe because the court is raising the standard of protection of private life to a level higher than in germany - to the level of france , mr prinz said .