Prince
William demanded 1.5 million Euros compensation over topless
photographs of his wife Catherine after revealing how they had brought
back distressing memories of the “harassment” suffered by his mother
Diana.
In a statement read at the opening of a criminal case brought over pictures of the Duchess of Cambridge sunbathing topless the Prince described the decision to publish the images as "particularly shocking".
In a statement read at the opening of a criminal case brought over pictures of the Duchess of Cambridge sunbathing topless the Prince described the decision to publish the images as "particularly shocking".
The
couple are also demanding a "very significant fine" from France's
Closer magazine for publishing the photographs, taken during a three-day
break in a chateau in Provence, southern France, in September 2012.
In a damning account of the impact of the photographs on his family, the Duke of Cambridge stated that the images were "all the more painful" given the harassment linked to the death of his mother.
Topless pictures go on sale in Italy
02:20
Princess
Diana was killed in August 1997 when the car she was travelling in
crashed in a Paris underpass while being pursued by photographers, after
she had left the Ritz Hotel with her then boyfriend Dodi Fayed.
Her death served to compound the anger and suspicion at the behaviour of certain sections of the media felt by the Royal Family, and particularly by Diana’s sons William and Harry.
In the statement Prince William said the photographs “reminded us of the harassment that led to the death of my mother, Diana Princess of Wales".
Her death served to compound the anger and suspicion at the behaviour of certain sections of the media felt by the Royal Family, and particularly by Diana’s sons William and Harry.
In the statement Prince William said the photographs “reminded us of the harassment that led to the death of my mother, Diana Princess of Wales".
In
the written declaration, read in French by the couple's lawyer Jean
Veil, the Duke said: "In September 2012, my wife and I thought that we
could go to France for a few days in a secluded villa owned by a member
of my family, and thus enjoy our privacy.
"We know France and the French and we know that they are, in
principle, respectful of private life, including that of their guests.
"The clandestine way in which these photographs were taken was particularly shocking to us as it breached our privacy."
William ended his statement by thanking the French authorities for their support and work on the investigation.
On top of the damages, Mr Veil called for a "very significant fine".
The long-lens images were spread across the front and inside pages of Closer alongside an article about the pair with the headline "Oh my God!".
One of the most intimate shots showed the Duchess of Cambridge topless and having suncream rubbed into her by Prince William.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were on the terrace of a private chateau in Provence owned by Viscount Linley, the Queen's nephew, when they were photographed.
The couple launched legal proceedings soon after they were published and the French authorities banned any further reproduction of the pictures before launching an investigation into how the images were obtained.
But the photos still appeared in several other European publications.
Daily Telegraph
"The clandestine way in which these photographs were taken was particularly shocking to us as it breached our privacy."
William ended his statement by thanking the French authorities for their support and work on the investigation.
On top of the damages, Mr Veil called for a "very significant fine".
The long-lens images were spread across the front and inside pages of Closer alongside an article about the pair with the headline "Oh my God!".
One of the most intimate shots showed the Duchess of Cambridge topless and having suncream rubbed into her by Prince William.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were on the terrace of a private chateau in Provence owned by Viscount Linley, the Queen's nephew, when they were photographed.
The couple launched legal proceedings soon after they were published and the French authorities banned any further reproduction of the pictures before launching an investigation into how the images were obtained.
But the photos still appeared in several other European publications.
Daily Telegraph
No comments:
Post a Comment