Advertisement

Royals suing French mag over duchess of Cambridge topless pics

Share via

Topless photos of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, taken with a long lens last week as the couple vacationed at a royal relative’s secluded home in Provence, France, are earning the French magazine that published them a royal lawsuit.

St. James’s Palace said Friday in a statement that “legal proceedings for breach of privacy have been commenced today in France” by the royal couple.

Kate and Prince William were told about the pictures over breakfast before visiting a mosque in Malaysia, where they’re on tour. A source told ABC News that they were initially “saddened” but then became shocked and angry.

Advertisement

PHOTOS: Celebrity scandals: The naked truth

“The photos we selected are by no means degrading,” the editor of Closer France said in French in a statement, also clarifying that that decision to run the pics had nothing to do with the UK incarnation of Closer magazine. “They show a young couple on vacation.”

The blurry topless pics were also offered to the UK’s Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror last week, those papers’ editor told Yahoo News, noting that as with the previous pictures of a naked Prince Harry, they declined to purchase or publish the images.

Advertisement

For its part, the chief executive of the UK Closer declared the owners and publishers of the brand “appalled,” posting a statement on its crashed website that read in part, “We deplore the publication of these intrusive and offensive pictures and have asked that Closer France takes these pictures down immediately from its website and desist from publishing any further pictures. ...

“We were not aware in advance of the purchase of these photographs or of any intention to publish. We have absolutely no control over the editorial decisions of Closer France. In the light of their publication, we are now urgently discussing this matter with our licensee and reviewing the terms of our licence agreement with Closer France.

“Like our readers we are appalled and regret the pain the publication of these photographs has caused.”

Advertisement

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

ALSO:

Prince Harry gets endorsement, plea for privacy from palace

Prince Harry takes jewels home; palace uninspired to comment

Prince Harry: Photos seen ‘round the world now on U.K. newsstands

Follow Christie D’Zurilla on Twitter and Google+. Follow the Ministry of Gossip on Twitter @LATcelebs and on Facebook facebook.com/ministryofgossip.

Advertisement

PHOTOS AND MORE:

PHOTOS: Celebrity portraits by The Times


PHOTOS: Peril on the set - Celebrity injuries


TIMELINE: Kristen Stewart cheating scandal

Advertisement