It has been confirmed that the head of the publisher of the French edition of Closer Magazine and a photographer are facing a criminal investigation over the publication six months ago of the Duchess of Cambridge sunbathing topless.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge launched legal proceedings in France as soon as the pictures were publishes and shortly afterwards a Paris court ordered the magazine to hand over the originals of the images. In France invasion of privacy without the subject’s permission is a criminal offence.
The pictures were republished around the world and by the Irish Daily Star, prompting publisher Richard Desmond to say that he would close the joint venture company which published the title.
The title still appears to be jointly published by Express Newspapers and Independent News and Media as before.
Although the pictures were never published in the UK, a YouGov poll suggested that 20 per cent of British adults had viewed them online.
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