Closer Brand Owner Denounces Decision to Run Images, Kate Middleton Topless Photo Scandal
Kate Middleton's topless photo scandalhas rocked the royal palace, which swiftly declared it will be filing a lawsuit againstCloser for publishing the shocking pics.
But the palace isn't the only one taking drastic steps: In a famous turn of events, Closer's brand owner Bauer Media, has come forward to denounce the tabloid's decision to run the images and hints that the title's future with the printing group could be on shaky ground.
"We have complained in the firmest terms to the licensee of Closer France over the publication by them of photographs of their Royal Highnesses, Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge," Bauer Media chief executive Paul Keenan said in a statement posted on Closer's website.
"We deplore the publication of these intrusive and offensive pictures and have required that Closer France takes these pictures down immediately from its website and desist from issuing any further pictures. Bauer Media and Closer UK regard publication of these photographs as a gross intrusion of their Royal Highnesses' privacy."
Bauer Media also claims it had no knowledge of the photos or the magazine's plan to issue them, noting that "we have absolutely no check over the editorial decisions of Closer France. In the light of their publication, we are now desperately discussing this matter with our licensee and reviewing the terms of our license agreement with Closer France."
The tabloid's editor, on the other hand, had earlier opposed their use of the photos, explaining that "they show a young woman sunbathing topless, like the millions of women you see on beaches" and insisting that "one shouldn't dramatize these pictures...The response has been a little disproportionate."
Despite the scandal, the royal couple at the center of it has lost none of their proverbial regal bearing.
A royal author exclusively tells E! News that Prince William and his wife, who are currently traveling around Asia as part of Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee tour, "are staying upbeat despite all of this."
"They are focused on the tour," the source adds. "They are looking forward to future when they are going to be visiting a rainforest," concerning to the couple's next stop in Borneo. "They are not letting this ruin the tour."
The source also repeated the palace's sentiments about the incident, calling the publication of the photos by Closer magazine "a grotesque breach of privacy and clearly it inevitably to be stopped…Taking legal action is the only thing Kate and William could do. This is extremely serious and very upsetting."
French tabloid defends publishing "beautiful" shots of Middleton
Kate Middleton visits mosque in Malaysia
Check out all the highlights from Will and Kate's Jubilee tour
Comments
Post a Comment