Prince William and Catherine, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

[ashdean]

She knows that she is "The most photographed woman in the world"  why would she go out partially naked.  Prince William knew how much his mother suffered in the press, he should have known better and told her to put some clothes on.

I could not agree more.

[rosieposie]

Lets not forget people that William and Kate are human beings too.  They are very much in love and to say that she should have kept her clothes while on holiday...they could do what ever they wanted to.

They were obviously unaware that the Paps were parked outside.  I think it was kind of romantic that he rubbed lotion or suncream onto her back. 

If she wanted to be topless with the man she loves and he doesn't give a damn at admiring her naked then Good luck to them.

[CHRISinUSA]

I agree - I'm actually a bit surprised that some of our fellow posters here are taking the position that the royal couple themselves are somehow to blame.  I mean, certainly when you are royals and you take your top off on a balcony, you do have to assume there's a chance a photographer might be lurking somewhere in the bushes. 

But - that doesn't let the photographer off the hook here.  The couple were deep in a massive private park - they were not "in public".  The photographer was clearly not supposed to be there.  Isn't that against the law / trespassing?  Given the circumstances, I view this no differently than if a photographer had snapped them with a long-range lens through a window into their bedroom.  It is a clear invasion of privacy, and I hope that photographer gets the (legal) book thrown at her.

[Kalafrana]

Chris

I agree

Ann

[Emperor of the Dominions]

Chris

I agree

Ann

As do I.

Pictures from their East Asia and Pacific tour:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19611365

R.I.

[RoyalWatcher]

Great article from The Telegraph: "Duchess of Cambridge photos: Ireland to introduce privacy law"

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/theroyalfamily/9549016/Duchess-of-Cambridge-photos-Ireland-to-introduce-privacy-law.html

[Grace]

Rosie, Chris and Ann, you're all too good to be true!

William has had first hand experience of the media, including the way it treated his late mother, for his entire 30 years.  Surely that knowledge and experience should have warned him to protect his wife so that she could not be exploited by the media in the way that she has been?  The Cambridges cannot have it both ways.  If they want to protect their personal image and the prestige of the royal family then they are very careful, it's as simple as that.  It's the big drawback of who they are.  I fully accept that if they were any other young married couple, what they did was not wrong.  But they aren't and their decision has now ensured that the future Queen Consort can be publicly viewed topless for eternity. 

In the meantime, it's a bit more tarnish on the monarchy for the Queen to polish off.  HM has worked hard for over sixty years now with nothing like this ever touching her and she must wonder what on earth is going to happen after she is gone if her family continue to lapse so spectacularly and so often in ways that are so completely avoidable. 

[RoyalWatcher]

I really like the "new" understated eye makeup Kate has been wearing lately. Gone is the heavy kohl under eye liner she adopted shortly after their engagement. It's been replaced with a lighter eyeliner more flattering to her lovely green eyes. I know, it's a superficial comment, but I was really pleased she has adopted a softer look. Maybe it's just for this tour...maybe not. She is just gorgeous even in the tropics!

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5-ylH25Y22U/UFcjqA1A5JI/AAAAAAAAFFU/nerhROGP4Bk/s1600/Kate%252BMiddleton%252BDuke%252BDuchess%252BCambridge%252BDiamond%252BAa1AT4u0qKwx.jpg

[jehan]

Rosie, Chris and Ann, you're all too good to be true!

William has had first hand experience of the media, including the way it treated his late mother, for his entire 30 years.  Surely that knowledge and experience should have warned him to protect his wife so that she could not be exploited by the media in the way that she has been?  The Cambridges cannot have it both ways.  If they want to protect their personal image and the prestige of the royal family then they are very careful, it's as simple as that.  It's the big drawback of who they are.  I fully accept that if they were any other young married couple, what they did was not wrong.  But they aren't and their decision has now ensured that the future Queen Consort can be publicly viewed topless for eternity. 

In the meantime, it's a bit more tarnish on the monarchy for the Queen to polish off.  HM has worked hard for over sixty years now with nothing like this ever touching her and she must wonder what on earth is going to happen after she is gone if her family continue to lapse so spectacularly and so often in ways that are so completely avoidable. 

I don't see any tarnish on the monarchy at all from this.  The only tarnish is on the photographer and the press who published the pictures.  They were in private, doing nothing wrong, immoral or criminal.  The fact that she was topless in a private situation was no reflection on her.  Had the pics been taken through a window while she was changing would it be any different?

The Queen was lucky to have grown up at a time when the press was not so intrusive.  Had the press been the same in her youth there would have been a lot more scandals (with the family, if not the queen herself) with the Duke of Kent, the Duke of Windsor, Princess Margaret in her youth and others.  All were involved in things with which the  press today would have a field day.

[Maria the Beautiful]

"The Queen was lucky enough to have grown up at a time when the press was not so intrusive".  Exactly!  But times have changed, and as I mentioned before, there is no place on earth outdoors that is out of range of a camera lens nowadays.   If someone leaves their doors unlocked and comes home one day to find they've been robbed blind, the thieves are no less guilty because the doors were unlocked but the victim is still looked upon as being foolish for tempting fate.   I don't see a whole lot of difference in what has happened to Catherine.   To me, this just shows a simple lack of common sense on Catherine and Williams part.

[CHRISinUSA]

Grace / Maria, I'll concede that the Duchess' decision to sunbathe topless was not that smart, given the risks.  I guess what I'm focused on is whether she SHOULD be able to do so without being photographed - and that is a resounding "yes".  A private holiday, deep in a secluded area, is the only place they would ever be free to have a bit of fun.  This is a young newly married couple who live under the microscope every day of their lives and do a damn good job of it.  Should they have to go their entire lives without ever enjoying any normal healthy adult fun - except behind locked doors and with the draperies drawn? 

I think we (as a society) have tolerated a steady decline in privacy rights over the past decades and, while I'm not blind to the march forward in technology, I think we're getting a bit lax in drawing the lines.  We've gotten a bit Orwellian for my tastes.

I had to shudder a bit when an earlier poster mentioned Princess Margaret.  Oh - can you imagine if there had been camera phones on Mustique in the 1960s and 1970s?  I think it quite possible that the monarchy itself would no longer exist.  One single photo spread of Maggie hosting a Saturday night beach party at her holiday retreat would have probably shocked society at that time to its core!

[Maria the Beautiful]

Chris, I couldn't agree with you more on every point you made.   I, too, wish that the Royal Family could enjoy privacy.  I hope that things will change for the better after this unfortunate incident.
  I want to make clear to those who've posted in defense of Catherine and William - it was not my intent to "trash" either of them.   I am a huge fan of  Kate's (I still am) and was simply disappointed because  this could have been prevented.   She has conducted herself in regal fashion over the years since she and William became a couple.   I have actually been proud of her, speaking as a "commoner" myself, albeit an American.   I truly feel for her right now.  I know this faux pas was totally innocent on her part.   I believe all of us who have posted on this topic are in agreement on that point.

[Maria the Beautiful]

And on a lighter note....

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/09/17/kate-greeted-by-topless-women-solomon-islands-traditional-dress.html

Good for Kate!

[Emperor of the Dominions]

Rosie, Chris and Ann, you're all too good to be true!

William has had first hand experience of the media, including the way it treated his late mother, for his entire 30 years.  Surely that knowledge and experience should have warned him to protect his wife so that she could not be exploited by the media in the way that she has been?  The Cambridges cannot have it both ways.  If they want to protect their personal image and the prestige of the royal family then they are very careful, it's as simple as that.  It's the big drawback of who they are.  I fully accept that if they were any other young married couple, what they did was not wrong.  But they aren't and their decision has now ensured that the future Queen Consort can be publicly viewed topless for eternity. 

In the meantime, it's a bit more tarnish on the monarchy for the Queen to polish off.  HM has worked hard for over sixty years now with nothing like this ever touching her and she must wonder what on earth is going to happen after she is gone if her family continue to lapse so spectacularly and so often in ways that are so completely avoidable. 

I don't see any tarnish on the monarchy at all from this.  The only tarnish is on the photographer and the press who published the pictures.  They were in private, doing nothing wrong, immoral or criminal.  The fact that she was topless in a private situation was no reflection on her.  Had the pics been taken through a window while she was changing would it be any different?

The Queen was lucky to have grown up at a time when the press was not so intrusive.  Had the press been the same in her youth there would have been a lot more scandals (with the family, if not the queen herself) with the Duke of Kent, the Duke of Windsor, Princess Margaret in her youth and others.  All were involved in things with which the  press today would have a field day.

I heartily agree with Jehan.

BBC News: Kate topless photos: French injunction against magazine:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19631591

R.I.

[Emperor of the Dominions]

An outcome: BBC News - French court bans publication of topless photos:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19637636

R.I.