Kate Middleton wins legal battle over topless photo publication

Lawyers for the Duchess of Cambridge have successfully blocked further publication of the 'highly intimate' topless pictures

Kate Middleton has won a legal battle to block further publication of the 'highly intimate' topless pictures obtained by French Closer magazine on Friday.

READ: WILLIAM & KATE'S ROMANTIC ISLAND RETREAT

Lawyers for the Duchess of Cambridge have been battling it out in court this week to stop further use of the photos, taken as she sunbathed on holiday at a private residence with Prince William.

And today, in a landmark ruling, William and Kate's legal team secured an injunction banning the pictures from being published again, anywhere in the world.

According to reports, French Closer magazine must hand Prince William and Kate Middleton the original photos 'within 24 hours' and are banned from ever reprinting them, or selling them to any other magazine.

If they do, they'll be slapped with a €10,000 fine, the same as they'll be issued with if they don't hand the images back to the royal family by tomorrow.

It's thought lawyers argued the topless photos violated Kate Middleton's privacy in ways echoing the paparazzi's treatment of Princess Diana, adding that the invasive pictures were taken ‘just six days after the 15th anniversary of the useless, cynical and morbid hunt which led to the death of William’s mother.'

They also argued the photographs were taken ‘in a highly intimate moment during a scene of married life and have no place on the cover of a magazine’.

Reports suggest the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are now seeking damages from the French magazine, and have also asked that the offending issues of Closer are removed from the shops.

William and Kate are also thought to have launched criminal action aimed at prosecuting the photographer who took the topless photos, and have indicated they will continue legal proceedings until the culprit has been found.

What do you think of the decision to block the topless Kate Middleton photos from publication? Are judges right to ban the snaps? Let us know in the comments box below…

READ: WILLIAM & KATE'S ROMANTIC ISLAND RETREAT

PRINCE WILLIAM & KATE MIDDLETON'S JUBILEE TOUR ALBUM

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