Royal couple to sue over topless pictures of Kate
The publication was compared by St James’s Palace to the worst experiences of Diana, Princess of Wales, at the hands of the paparazzi.
The palace led a chorus of protests, describing the invasion of privacy as “grotesque and totally unjustifiable”.
Royal aides drew parallels between Diana’s most upsetting encounters with certain elements of the press and the “unthinkable” actions of the French magazine Closer, which left Kate and William feeling “anger and disbelief”.
Last night the palace announced that lawyers would be pursuing the matter through the French courts. It is understood that the royal couple’s aim is to prevent further use of the images and to seek damages.
In a short statement, the palace said: “St James’s Palace confirms that legal proceedings for breach of privacy have been commenced today in France by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge against the publishers of Closer Magazine France.”
The royal couple have the sympathy of Downing Street with a source close to David Cameron saying that Number 10 “echoes the sadness of the palace” over the publication of the pictures.
But Laurence Pieau, the editor of Closer, was unrepentant, defending her decision to publish the pictures during an interview with the French radio station Europe 1, insisting there was “nothing degrading” about the photographs and claiming she could not understand the couple’s reaction.
Ms Pieau also told the AFP news agency: “These photos are not in the least shocking. They show a young woman sunbathing topless, like the millions of women you see on beaches.”
William and Kate are midway through a Diamond Jubilee tour of the Far East.
The photographs were taken last week while the couple was staying in Provence at a chateau owned by Lord Linley, the Queen’s nephew, ahead of their trip.
St James’s Palace said the royal couple would not let the controversy distract them.
A spokesman said: “The Duke and Duchess remain focused currently on their tour of Singapore, Malaysia, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu on behalf of HM the Queen.”
A source added the legal proceedings were the result of the royal couple feeling that they needed to make a stand.
