Paparazzi balk at limits set during Prince William and Kate’s L.A. visit

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Prince William and wife Catherine (shown visiting Prince Edward Island in Canada) are headed to Los Angeles this weekend. | Mark Large~Getty Images

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Updated: October 27, 2011 12:31AM

As Los Angeles gears up for this weekend’s visit by Prince William and new bride Catherine, sources at several major paparazzi outfits — as well as legitimate photo agencies that service mainstream media outlets — tell me they’re receiving pressure from law enforcement like they’ve never seen.

“We really have been put on notice about an unbelievable number of dos and don’ts,’’ said a veteran Hollywood photo pro. “I understand that representatives of the police department, the Secret Service and the Bureau of Diplomatic Security [the U.S. State Department agency that oversees visits by foreign dignitaries and heads of state] have made calls on all the agencies and the best-known paparazzi — making not-so-veiled threats if they think we get too much in William and Kate’s faces.

“You’d think we were working in Red China, not America!”

When the authorities discovered a number of paparazzi had paid big bucks for prime shooting sites in houses and buildings near the big British Academy of Film and Television Arts bash planned for the royal couple, “they swooped in and told the [building’s] owners to cancel those deals,” said my source.

DON’T BOOK IT: According to one of Maria Shriver’s closest friends, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s future ex-wife would not accept the reported $15 million advance publishers supposedly are throwing her way.

“Maria will never write a book about their breakup — no matter how much she’s offered.

“Her family’s privacy — and especially her intense devotion to protecting her children — is her primary concern, as it always has been,” said the Shriver insider.

The former California first lady’s friend did say that Shriver, who previously has penned six books, “may someday write about this sad chapter in her life, but more as part of an overall autobiography — many, many years from now.”

CLINTON CABIN? While in Aspen, Colo., for the July 4th weekend, I heard speculation that former President Bill Clinton was planning to buy a vacation home in the famous mountain resort.

While not confirmed by the Clinton camp, it wouldn’t surprise locals, who have enjoyed hosting the former commander in chief for the past few summers at the annual “Ideas Festival,” sponsored by the Aspen Institute. The festival coincides with the Independence Day celebrations — attracting a “Who’s Who” of scholars, politicians, media stars and leaders in a wide range of professions.

Along with Clinton, those seen participating in this year’s program were Henry Paulson, Frank Gehry, Sandra Day O’Connor, Arianna Huffington, Arne Duncan, Tom Friedman and L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

PARTY CENTRAL: As usual, Our Town’s Renee and Lester Crown and the entire Crown clan’s annual July 4th party — held on the top of Ajax Mountain — was the event of the holiday weekend in Aspen, attracting an eclectic guest list of Chicagoans and heavy hitters from Hollywood and Washington.

Among those at the mountaintop aerie were Jane and Michael Eisner; Leonard Lauder; Maria and Bill Smithburg; Barbara and Roe Conn; Barbi Benton; Linda Johnson Rice and her daughter, Alexa; Carol and Larry Levy; Leah and Ralph Wanger; Jamie Tisch; Robert Wagner and Jill St. John; Joan Steel; Anne and Ken Griffin; Linda and Peter Bynoe; Justice Stephen Breyer; Jane Harman, and Robin Berger.

FOCUS ON RAHM: Also attending the Crowns’ party — after participating in the Ideas Festival — was Newark, N.J., Mayor Cory Booker, who raved about new Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy (who had led the police force in his city). “He’s a cop’s cop, which I know is important for Chicago since Garry’s predecessor [Jody Weis] obviously had trouble connecting with the rank and file.”

Booker was very complimentary about Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s early tenure, crediting it with why he has achieved success in Newark: “It’s all about getting the right team behind you.”

When asked if he’s unhappy with Emanuel “stealing” two officials (McCarthy and new schools chief Jean-Claude Brizard, who Booker was seriously chasing for Newark) the New Jersey mayor laughed. “No. I never would get in the way of someone achieving their own personal career goals.”

Booker, often referred to as a younger version of President Obama, reportedly is mulling over a run against New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie in 2013 or a U.S. Senate bid in 2014.

Bill Zwecker reports regularly on WFLD-Channel 32.