Irish Daily Star publishes topless photos of the Duchess of Cambridge
The Republic of Ireland edition of The Irish Daily Star has published photographs of the Duchess of Cambridge sunbathing topless while on holiday with the Duke of Cambridge in France.
Defending the action, the tabloid's editor Michael O'Kane, told the BBC:
The pictures did not feature in the Northern Ireland or UK editions of the newspaper.
A spokeswoman for St James's Palace said: "There can be no motivation for this action other than greed."
Richard Desmond, chairman of Northern Shell, who are co-owners of the newspaper said that he was taking "immediate steps" to end the joint venture with Independent News and Media
Earlier, in a statement, Northern Shell said they have no editorial control over the publication and they "abhor" the decision to publish the photographs.
They added: "We very much regret the distress it has caused".
On Friday, the palace described the publication of the photos of Kate in French magazine Closer as a "grotesque and totally unjustifiable" invasion of privacy and announced that the royal couple is suing its publishers.
Despite this, Italian magazine Chi is also set to published the photos, it was reported today.
It is understood to be planning a 26-page photo special of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on holiday in the south of France, to run in an edition next week.
Its editor Alfonso Signorini said: "The fact that these are the future rulers of England makes the article more interesting and topical.
"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."
A spokeswoman for St James's Palace later said about the photos being published in Chi magazine:
Both Chi and the French edition of Closer are published by the Mondadori media group, which is owned by former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi.
The British edition of Closer has distanced itself from the decision made by its French counterpart, which is run by a different company.
A number of British newspapers have been offered the photos but so far are unanimous in their condemnation of them being published.
In an editorial comment today The Sun said they were "grossly intrusive pictures that no decent British paper would touch with a bargepole".
The publication in the French magazine was compared by St James's Palace to the worst experiences of Diana, Princess of Wales at the hands of the paparazzi.
The palace led a chorus of protests, describing the invasion of privacy as "grotesque and totally unjustifiable".
The pictures were allegedly taken while Kate was on holiday with her husband, the Duke of Cambridge, in France last week.
Under the headline "Oh my God!", the photos show the couple soaking up the sun on the balcony of a 19th century hunting lodge, oblivious to lurking paparazzi.
At the time of the magazine's publication St James's Palace said:
Laurence Pieau, editor of Closer France magazine, told Europe Correspondent Emma Muphy that she was unrepentant about publishing the photographs of Kate:
"[They are] beautiful pictures of an in love couple in the south of France, and they are marvellous, wonderful and relaxed."
Asked if she thought the pictures abused the couple's privacy, Pieau said:
"Not really, because they are sunbathing on a terrace with a view from the road. For everybody who passed on the road, it was possible to see them."
The front page of today's issue of Closer France read: "The Duchess of Cambridge topless on the terrace of a guest house in the Luberon!"
The full text:
The pictures come in the wake of [the pictures of Prince Harry cavorting naked in a Las Vegas hotel room](http://Harry images: 3,600 complaint), which were published by the Sun, despite a request from St James' Palace for the British media to not publish the pictures.
The British version of Closer magazine issued a statement to clarify that it is not linked to Closer France:
Closer UK publishers Bauer later said it would review the terms of its license agreement with Closer France.
Downing Street commented that the royal couple were "entitled to their privacy", however the Palace was dealing with the fallout from their publication.
The publication provoked many Twitter users this morning including Rosa Monckton, a friend of Princess Diana, who tweeted her anger about the publication:
She later told ITV News exclusively that publishing the pictures was "completely unacceptable":
Journalists equally opposed the idea. Kevin Maguire, the Daily Mirror's associate editor tweeted:
Despite the publication, a press secretary to the Duke and Duchess said that they would "remain focused" on their Diamond Jubilee tour through south-east Asia and the South Pacific.