General

Legal battle is launched over photos of Kate topless, with William applying sunscreen

The topless photos of Kate Middleton printed in a French publication have prompted Prince William and his wife to launch a lawsuit against the magazine, Closer, for breaching their right to privacy.

The grainy shots show Kate sunbathing topless and having sunscreen rubbed on her by William while next to a swimming pool.

The editor of Closer, Laurence Pieau, said there was no harm in publishing the photos. “They show a young woman sunbathing topless, like the millions of women you see on beaches,” Pieau told AFP.

Closer says the photos were taken on a guesthouse terrace in France. The couple was vacationing there earlier this month.

Kate’s photo scandal comes hot off the heels of Prince Harry’s own nude scandal—naked photos of him were leaked after a rowdy summer break in Las Vegas. She’s also following a precedence set by her late mother-in-law Diana, who was photographed sunbathing topless in Spain in 1994.

In spite of it all, Kate seems unfazed, continuing her tour of Southeast Asia.

Looking for more?

Get the Best of Maclean's sent straight to your inbox. Sign up for news, commentary and analysis.
  • By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
FILED UNDER: