Topless pictures of Kate Middleton published in France

French magazine Closer has published pictures of a topless Duchess of Cambridge sunbathing in a private pool...

The French edition of celebrity magazine Closer is making headlines of its own after publishing topless images of the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, while she was sunbathing at a private pool with her husband Prince William. 

Unlike the recent nude photo scandal surrounding Prince Harry's alcohol fuelled Las Vegas vacation whereby he invited strangers into his VIP suite (who then leaked compromising images), this is considered to be a higher breach of privacy considering that the location was a private, enclosed pool in Provence and the images were taken with a large zoom lens. 

The images in question exposed the secluded provencal holiday home of Viscount Linley, son of Lord Snowdon and the late Princess Margaret.

The issue of paparazzi intrusion is a sensitive one for Prince William, who mother - Princess Diana - was killed in a Paris car crash after being relentlessly pursued by the press.

The Daily Telegraph quoted a 'royal source' who said: "This is disappointing, saddening and turns the clock back 15 years. We have always maintained the position that the Duke and Duchess deserve their privacy, not least when they are on holiday in their own swimming pool."

According to numerous reports, the images were first shopped around the UK press with all of the major news outlets turning them down in the wake of the phone hacking/privacy inquiry that resulted in the closure of Rupert Murdoch's long-running The News of the World paper. 

Even The Sun who broke the UK press silence when it came to the Prince Harry images is holding off, instead opting for a headline of "Kate topless photo shock" but using a toned down image of the  Duchess of Cambridge under a parasol instead.

Closer in France opted for a headline on the front page that translates as “Oh my God! The photos that will go around the world”, blurring them out on the cover but promising more within.