French mag faces legal action for publishing Kate’s nude photos
17 Sep 2012 1:04 AM GMT
Lawyers for Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton are scheduled to appear in court in Paris tomorrow to prevent further publication of topless photos of the Duchess of Cambridge, days after a French magazine splashed them in its latest issue.
A spokesman for St James’s Palace said official legal proceedings would begin tomorrow.
‘It is the first airing and we will be seeking an injunction from them using the pictures and it will lead to a longer court case where damages will be sought,’ he said.
The announcement of legal action comes as Prince William and his wife continued their tour of south-east Asia, while the Irish edition of Daily Star became the second publication to use the photos reportedly taken while the royal couple was on a holiday in France.
Italian magazine Chi said it would print a special 26-page edition featuring Kate Middleton’s photographs tomorrow.
The French magazine Closer and Chi are reported to be both part of former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s Mondadori media group.
Meanwhile, speaking to BBC, ex-Prime Minister John Major the photographer’s actions were those of a ‘peeping Tom’ and a boundary had ‘plainly been crossed’.
He said: ‘The way (these photographs) have been obtained is tasteless. It is the action of a peeping Tom. In our country we prosecute peeping Toms.’
Major praised the British press for not publishing the photographs Kate photos.
Until some time ago, the British tabloid press would have published, but the ongoing inquiries into the phone- hacking controversy is being cited as one of the major reasons for the restraint shown by the tabloids.
Stake-holders such as celebrity publicist Max Clifford admit that over the last year many sensational stories were given a miss due to the effect of the inquiries and public revulsion over the ethics and practices of the press, in what is better known as the ‘Leveson effect’.
The Leveson Inquiry into the culture, ethics and practices of the press is the most high-profile inquiry set up in the wake of the phone-hacking row, with the press coming in for trenchant criticism from many key individuals, including top politicians, who gave evidence live on television.
A spokesman for St James’s Palace said official legal proceedings would begin tomorrow.
‘It is the first airing and we will be seeking an injunction from them using the pictures and it will lead to a longer court case where damages will be sought,’ he said.
The announcement of legal action comes as Prince William and his wife continued their tour of south-east Asia, while the Irish edition of Daily Star became the second publication to use the photos reportedly taken while the royal couple was on a holiday in France.
Italian magazine Chi said it would print a special 26-page edition featuring Kate Middleton’s photographs tomorrow.
The French magazine Closer and Chi are reported to be both part of former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s Mondadori media group.
Meanwhile, speaking to BBC, ex-Prime Minister John Major the photographer’s actions were those of a ‘peeping Tom’ and a boundary had ‘plainly been crossed’.
He said: ‘The way (these photographs) have been obtained is tasteless. It is the action of a peeping Tom. In our country we prosecute peeping Toms.’
Major praised the British press for not publishing the photographs Kate photos.
Until some time ago, the British tabloid press would have published, but the ongoing inquiries into the phone- hacking controversy is being cited as one of the major reasons for the restraint shown by the tabloids.
Stake-holders such as celebrity publicist Max Clifford admit that over the last year many sensational stories were given a miss due to the effect of the inquiries and public revulsion over the ethics and practices of the press, in what is better known as the ‘Leveson effect’.
The Leveson Inquiry into the culture, ethics and practices of the press is the most high-profile inquiry set up in the wake of the phone-hacking row, with the press coming in for trenchant criticism from many key individuals, including top politicians, who gave evidence live on television.
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