Back  |  Email to a Friend  |  Print  |   Send in Your Comment

Our outrage over publication of topless pictures of Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge

Message from the Editor of Closer

The publication of pictures of Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge topless has understandably caused outrage around the world.

As a magazine, we feel these pictures are intrusive and an invasion of the Duchess’ privacy and are appalled that they were published. We would like to reassure our loyal readers that we have not and would never publish these pictures.

We would also like to make it clear that although it shares the Closer name, Closer France is run by a separate company to Closer in the UK and makes completely separate editorial decisions to the UK magazine.

Lisa Burrow, Editor of Closer

DUKE AND DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE STOP PUBLICATION OF TOPLESS PHOTOS

A French court has upheld a formal complaint made by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and has banned further publication of topless photos of Kate Middleton in France. The court in Nanterre, just outside Paris, ruled that the photographs published by Closer France – which is run by a different company to Closer UK – last Friday were intrusive and a breach of their privacy. Mondadori, the publisher of Closer France, will also face a fine of 10,000 Euros (£8,000) a day if they flout the injunction and re-publish the pictures. The couple were also awarded 2,000 Euros towards their legal fees. The ruling means that Closer France must hand over all of the digital and original copies of the photographs in its possession to the Palace within the next 24 hours. Closer UK did not publish the photographs and has no intention of publishing them.

The pictures were taken while Kate was on holiday with the Duke in the French region of Luberon and  were published last Friday at the start of Kate and William’s Diamond Jubilee tour of the South Pacific. Since the publication of the pictures in the French magazine last Friday, a small number of newspapers and magazines in the US, Ireland and Italy have, or are planning to, publish the photographs – but no magazine or newspaper in the UK has published them.

Last week, Kate showed why she is making such a great impact on the world stage as she continued her royal engagements with dignity and poise, despite the media storm surrounding her.

After St James’s Palace issued a strongly worded statement expressing how “hugely saddened” they had been by the “invasion of privacy,” the couple continued their tour with a visit to the Assyakirin Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s largest place of worship. William and Kate – who removed her shoes and covered her head with a veil – enjoyed a guided tour by the imam, Ustaz Saiful.

On Sunday, the couple were given a huge welcome from 70,000 well wishers as they visited the Solomon Islands. Kate was given the honour of becoming an Island Princess and was crowned with a floral headdress. The couple watched a tribal war dance performance by local warriors and met with the Solomon Islands' Prime Minister, Gordon Darcy Lilo, and his cabinet. The Royal couple were presented with two traditional necklaces made of tiny coloured sea shells woven together.

Kate and William were today preparing to embark on the last leg of their Jubilee tour, after a relaxing and private night together. They enjoyed some time away from their duties and the cameras as they relaxed at a luxury secluded bungalow on the island of Tavanipupu.

The couple were able to relax and enjoy some time together snorkelling and swimming.
 
Statement from Paul Keenan, Chief Executive of Bauer Media, in connection with the publication by Closer France of pictures of Prince William and his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge: “As the owners of the Closer brand and publishers of Closer magazine, we have complained in the strongest terms to the licensee of Closer France, over the publication by them of photographs of their Royal Highnesses, Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge.

We deplore the publication of these intrusive and offensive pictures and have asked that Closer France takes these pictures down immediately from its website and desist from publishing any further pictures.

Bauer Media and Closer UK regards publication of these photographs as a gross intrusion of their Royal Highnesses’ privacy.

We were not aware in advance of the purchase of these photographs or of any intention to publish. We have absolutely no control over the editorial decisions of Closer France.

In the light of their publication, we are now urgently discussing this matter with our licensee and reviewing the terms of our licence agreement with Closer France.

Like our readers, we are appalled and regret the pain the publication of these photographs has caused.