World News

French court blocks topless Kate photos

A French court ordered a magazine publisher to hand over all digital copies of topless photos of the Duchess of Cambridge within 24 hours and blocked further publication of what it called a "brutal display" of William and Kate's private moments.

Under the ruling Sept. 18, the publisher of the French gossip magazine Closer faces a daily fine of €10,000 (¥1 million) if it fails to hand over the photos featured in the Sept. 14 "world exclusive" issue of Prince William's wife Kate. The photos were taken without authorization during the royals' vacation at a private residence in southern France.

The court also handed out an injunction to stop Closer France from republishing the offending pictures -- including on its website and its tablet app -- as well as re-selling them.

The photos showed Kate relaxing at a private villa in Provence, in southern France, sometimes without her bikini top and, in one case, her suit bottom partially pulled down to apply sunscreen. (AP)

Shukan ST: SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

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