Journalists Behind Kate Middleton’s Topless Photos To Face Trial, Will They Still Defend Photos As ‘Not Degrading’?

Four years after Kate Middleton’s topless photos came out, the journalists behind their publication are now scheduled to face prosecution. Journalists from the French newspaper La Provence, Closer magazine, and its parent company, Arnoldo Mondadori Editore publishing group, will face trial in France for publishing Kate’s photos in 2012.

The defendants are reportedly photographers as well as officials of the aforementioned groups. When the photos surfaced, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge pressed criminal charges in a bid to prevent the further dissemination of the images.

Kate’s topless photos were captured while she was sunbathing and enjoying private pool time with her husband, William. The royal couple was enjoying a holiday in the Luberon region at the time. The grainy photos were captured using a long lens while Kate and William were at a hunting lodge. The couple was apparently oblivious that someone was watching them.

That time, the publication had an “OH MY GOD!” headline and presented a five-page spread of Kate’s uncensored photographs. As reported by the Independent, Kensington Palace quickly issued a statement condemning the ones who have leaked the photos. They claimed that the incident was reminiscent of how the late Princess Diana was hounded by the press.

“Their Royal Highnesses have been hugely saddened to learn that a French publication and a photographer have invaded their privacy in such a grotesque and totally unjustifiable manner. The incident is reminiscent of the worst excesses of the press and paparazzi during the life of Diana, Princess of Wales, and all the more upsetting to the duke and duchess for being so. Their Royal Highnesses had every expectation of privacy in the remote house. It is unthinkable that anyone should take such photographs, let alone publish them.”

Other British papers have declined to post the photos. The palace previously confirmed that “legal proceedings for breach of privacy have been commenced” in France. Closer maintains that they have opted to publish the photos because they were “full of joy” and far from being degrading.

Prior to Kate’s topless photos surfacing, Prince Harry also found himself caught up in a photo scandal when his Las Vegas clubbing photos emerged. The prince went to different pool parties during his 2012 vacation and in one of the events, he invited several guests to his VIP suite where they played “strip billiards.” Harry must have lost in the game, as he was photographed wearing nothing but his pendant necklace.

Pippa Middleton was pushed into the limelight too after her sister’s wedding. Due to her new status, she was also preyed on by the paparazzi. In 2011, photographers spied on Pippa and took photos of her while sunbathing in Ibiza.

Her iCloud account was recently hacked as well. The account reportedly contains more than 3,000 photos not just of Pippa but of the royal family too, including George and Charlotte. A Life and Style insider reported that apart from the photos, Kate is also worried that her candid online conversions with Pippa might come out.

“Her mind is racing about what she’s said in them and what personal pictures she might have sent Pippa. She’s spent years building the trust of the royal family, and this could ruin it all,” said the source.

While the emails and conversations were reportedly not demeaning, they’re “jokes about family members, including the Queen” that could “look very bad” when taken out of context. The hacker tried to sell the exclusive photos to various publications, including the Sun and the Daily Mail. He allegedly said that he’d award the photos to the one with the highest bid.

Pippa decided to seek civil court assistance to ban the possible publication of her private photos.

[Featured Image by Chris Jackson/Getty Images]