Updated.
On Monday, life as a royal ended as we know it if their shrill protestations are taken seriously. The world finally saw the complete set of unedited Kate Middleton nude photos in Chi Magazine, the Italian publication that has defied the royals to publish the most scandalous set of pictures of the topless Duchess of Cambridge that have been seen on the internet so far. We say hurray for freedom of the press as we note that the supposed bottomless pics are a fiction.
Photo: Kate Middleton Scandal
Interestingly the tabloid magazines in Great Britain itself have declined to publish the nude pics of Kate. That even goes for the Rupert Murdock publications which dared the royal family by publishing the Prince Harry scandal photos. Because of the phone hacking scandal that is still ongoing, the press in England has lost their mojo. These topless pics of Kate have thus far only legitimately appeared in French publications, the Irish Daily Star, and now Italy. Yes Italy, birth of the renaissance movement which 500 years ago defied authority to champion artistic freedom.
Much more is here and here and here in Italy where they have been reproduced unedited in parts. Note that Chi does not have a website.
With the Kate Middleton scandal pics, the press is intimidated that the powers that be will crack down on them through legislation that may seriously curtail their ability to publish freely. When they ought to be speaking truth to power, they are instead cowering in their corners concerned about future profits. Such a spectacle has not been seen in western nations in generations and future historians will undoubtedly consider it a black mark on press freedoms in our current day and age.
And all this for some harmless pictures of the Duchess of Cambridge nude that perhaps show her having sex with Prince William or perhaps not. Readers can be the judge of exactly what they are seeing in the pics, but the bigger story is why this is a story at all. A million and one celebrities have had scandal pics taken of them by the paparazzi. In this writer’s view, which is perhaps a very American view, the royal family is no different than you and I. Born to privilege, they are welcome to suffer the consequences of their behavior just like anyone else. Indeed it is refreshing.
Chi magazine is the same tabloid that first published pictures of the dying princess Diana in her automobile accident in France. They have come under a lot of fire in the past for that expose, and these new photos of Kate will bring the same scorn (and magazine sales) upon them.
A question for readers is do you find limits to freedom of the press? And should the royal family be treated any differently that other celebrities. My own view is no and no, but can respect other opinions.
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Update: Friends of the duchess have have answered this question quite clearly on her behalf. One unnamed bff was quoted in the press as saying, “they were absolutely united in how they felt about it. A red line had been crossed.”
Update 2: Bottomless pictures of Kate Middleton were erroneously reported by the media in late September 2012. Other than the one image you can find in the links of her partially removing her bikini bottom, there are no such pics in existence.
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Video: Duchess of Cambridge in Chi Italia!
September 17th, 2012 at 9:54 am
Have these people no shame? This was on private property, Kate has not encouraged this and most importantly, the press killed her mother in law, Diana, William’s mother. It is the start of a slippery slope. Is this what the European press want? Stamp it out.
September 18th, 2012 at 8:31 am
SHAME ON CHI !!!! TOTAL DISRESPECT of our Royals. How could any magazine be this CRUEL. I Think everyone should boycott these magazines. It one thing to show nude women who are cheap and interested in money. But its entirely a different thing to exploit and innocent young woman of Regal and Royal quality. SHAME on anyone who is a part of this debacle.
September 18th, 2012 at 2:18 pm
Good on CHI. Why shouldn’t the world see what she’s got. Freedom for the press I say. If you get em out expect to see em in print!
September 19th, 2012 at 6:31 am
i just had a royal ham shank
September 19th, 2012 at 7:24 pm
Well. Now it is the time to decide what is meant by freedom of expression or freedom of press which includes electronic media ,film etc. The royal family is very upset by this act where as kate medelton is no relegious personailty but a princess. What will you do when a satan-minded salman rushdi insulted a religion which holds up your right of privacy but you people instead of bringing him to justice protected him and now there is no voice heard from your side about terry jhons. Are you people are of any morality or just making a noise to supress your concious. Think about it?
September 19th, 2012 at 11:45 pm
what totally baffles me is why are the Royals not going after the photographers, but instead going against the magazines?
Does that mean that they aren’t interested in prosecuting an actual criminal act – the act of intrusion into privacy of an individual – but are only interested in not seeing their bare ar$e in print – which is a direct assault on the freedom of expression/press – the same freedom they claim to uphold?
As Dogmatix would say – these Britons are crazy. /toc, toc, toc/
September 22nd, 2012 at 4:25 am
Here is the deal. I can read through all of this, where as the rest of the world is brainwashed.
Will likes blondes.
Kate is getting all the limelight as a fashion icon (NOT). She has done nothing except stalk Will for 10 years. She couldn’t hold down a job. She is now getting all the attention as a fashion icon and will be Queen for having done nothing. This girl has no brain, beauty, or breasts. She is a parasite.
Will has earned it. Born into, studied hard, military, etc. He gets NONE of the attention. He will wind up with a blonde. This girl has to go.
September 22nd, 2012 at 3:44 pm
In response to the first comment:
No, the Press did not kill her mother-in-law. A drunk chauffeur did.
September 22nd, 2012 at 7:45 pm
welcome to liberlism you limey’s
you cry evertime yer royals are exposed to the public eye an then claim the media should shield them from the public eye
guess what the royals are simple folks just like the rest of us
an if they or any one else thinks they are better than i
they might want to check there blood lines before they claim to be a true royal
i am a direct decendant of sir william wallace
i am a true scot’s man
September 29th, 2012 at 10:56 am
Just because Kate may be our future Queen doesn’t mean she doesn’t have feelings. Come on, give them some space and respect their privacy. She’s only young and she’s got her work cut out for her marrying into the royal family. Give the girl a break, she’s only human. The person who took those photos should be paraded naked infront of buckingham palace.