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May 27, 2014updated 28 May 2014 2:14pm

UK media declines to publish revealing photo of Kate’s bottom

By Dominic Ponsford

British newspapers have declined to publish a revealing photo of the Duchess of Cambridge, which has appeared in German tabloid newspaper Bild.

Kate and William were walking away from a helicopter in the Australian Blue Mountains when wind from the rotor blades lifted her dress, revealing her bottom.

The couple were visiting Winmalee where 195 homes were destroyed by a bush fire.

The photo, credited Ugpix, was reportedly sold after fierce interest to the highest bidder. UK newspapers have declined to print it.

In February last year, Kate and William sued French magazine Closer after it printed topless photographs of Kate sunbathing at a rural chateau in Provence. The pictures were taken with a long lens from a road .

In August 2012, The Sun was the only newspaper to publish naked photos of Prince Harry, frolicking with a woman in a Las Vegas hotel room.

It's questionable whether the latest picture would constitute a breach of privacy under UK law as Kate was in a public place and on official business when it was taken. The Sun reports that UK newspapers declined the photo out of respect for the royal couple.

The Press Complaints Commission Editors' Code states:

Everyone is entitled to respect for his or her private and family life, home, health and correspondence, including digital communications.

Editors will be expected to justify intrusions into any individual's private life without consent. Account will be taken of the complainant's own public disclosures of information.

It is unacceptable to photograph individuals in private places without their consent.

The Sun, Mirror and Daily Mail all opted to pixellate images of the Bild web and print pages.

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