Prince William, Kate Middleton to File Criminal Complaint Against Photographer of Topless Pics

Lawyers for Prince William and Kate Middleton are seeking criminal charges against the photographer who took pictures of the couple on a private vacation

 

Lawyers for Britain's royal family will file a criminal complaint against the photographer who snapped topless pictures of Kate Middleton on vacation in France. 

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The palace has already launched a civil lawsuit against French magazine “Closer,” which published the paparazzi shots of the Duchess of Cambridge relaxing — unaware of a nearby photographer — at a private villa in Provence, the Associated Press reported on Monday.

Prince William and Kate are aggressively fighting against publication of the pictures, which the palace called a "grotesque" abuse of the young royals' privacy. The couple's lawyers will file a complaint with French prosecutors on Monday against the unidentified photographer or photographers involved.

Related: Topless Kate Middleton Will Likely Mean Big Fines and Bigger Profits for French Mag 

Freelance photographer Valerie Suau, who admitted taking pictures of the pair, went into hiding after the backlash, according to British newspaper The Independent.

Under French law, the privacy breach could mean a one-year prison sentence for the editor of the publication and the photographer, as well as a fine of about $58,000 and a mandatory apology.

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