Kate Middleton topless pictures trial – Kate and Wills ‘pleased’ as French court orders celeb mag Closer to pay them £92,000 for publishing topless photos of the Duchess of Cambridge
THE Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are said to be "pleased" a French court has ordered a magazine to pay them £92,000 after it published topless pictures of Kate.
French celeb mag Closer was ordered to pay the sum after the snaps were published on its front page in 2012.
The Royal couple today said they are pleased a French court "found in their favour".
Kensington Palace said: "This incident was a serious breach of privacy, and Their Royal Highnesses felt it essential to pursue all legal remedies. They wished to make the point strongly that this kind of unjustified intrusion should not happen."
Its editor and owner were also ordered to pay a fine of £41,000 each.
The grainy snaps of Kate Middleton sunbathing in a bikini bottom were taken while she was on holiday in September 2012 in the South of France with William.
The couple were snapped with a long lens relaxing by a pool at a chateau belonging to Viscount Linley, a nephew of Queen Elizabeth.
The pictures triggered a furious reaction from the Royal Family.
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Closer, a glossy gossip magazine, was the first to splash them on its cover, and they were later reproduced in several other European publications, including Chi in Italy and Ireland's Daily Star.
The Royals - who announced they are expecting their third child on Monday - filed a criminal complaint for invasion of privacy and obtained an injunction preventing further use of the images.
In a letter read out in court, William said the case reminded him of the paparazzi hounding of his mother, Princess Diana, who was killed in a car crash in Paris 20 years ago.
Six defendants were in the dock following five years of legal proceedings.
All of the six said the Royal couple were hypocrites because they regularly allow their private lives to be sold to millions of people around the world.
Today’s judgement, which was handed down by presiding judge Florence Lasserre-Jeannin, came a day after it was announced that the Duchess of Cambridge is expecting her third child.
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