Keith Girard
First the French now the Italians. Kate Middleton and Prince William may not have seen the last of her topless photos and perhaps even more lurid images from their recent vacation. Italian magazine Chi says it will publish them as well.
Chi will reportedly run a 26-page photo special of the Duke and Duchess on their holiday in the south of France next week, according to the BBC.
“The fact that these are the future rulers of England makes the article more interesting and topical,” said Chi Editor Alfonso Signorini. “This is a deserving topic because it shows in a completely natural way the daily life of a very famous, young and modern couple in love.”
Kate Middleton Topless Photos Published 
Kate Middleton is caught in a royal uproar over topless photos of her published in France. They follow publication of nude photos of Prince Harry partying in Las Vegas. Click the photo to see Kate topless.
He echoed Closer editor, Laurence Pieau: “These photos are not in the least shocking. They show a young woman sunbathing topless, like the millions of women you see on beaches. These are images full of joy. The photos we chose are by no means degrading.”
The move by Chi creates another headache for the royal palace, which has already decided to sue French magazine Closer for what it called a “grotesque and totally unjustifiable” invasion of privacy. “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,” the palace said in a statement.
The magazines have a common denominator. They are both owned by the Mondadori media group, which, in turn, is owned by former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who has been involved in his fair share of scandals.
Could this be Berlusconi’s payback for the way he was treated by British tabloids? Berlusconi has a long history of criminal allegations, including mafia collusion, false accounting, tax fraud, corruption and bribery of police officers and judges. His net worth is said to be in the range of $6 billion, so he can well withstand a legal assault by the crown.
British newspapers and magazines were offered the right to buy the photos, but none have chosen to do so. The photos have not been published in Great Britain.
The palace has raised concern Kate will face the same scrutiny as William’s late mother Princess Diana, who died in 1997 after her car crashed in France, trying to elude paparazzi.
Kate and William have continued on their tour of the far east to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
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