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Six on trial over topless photos of Duchess of Cambridge Six on trial over topless photos of Duchess of Cambridge
(about 2 hours later)
Six people on trial in France following the publication of topless photographs of the Duchess of Cambridge should face "significant fines", a prosecutor says. The Duke of Cambridge has said the publication of topless photographs of his wife in a French magazine was "all the more painful" given his mother's experience with the paparazzi.
The images were shot while Kate was on holiday with Prince William in 2012. A statement from Prince William was read at the trial of six people accused of invasion of privacy and complicity.
They appeared in Closer magazine in France, while regional newspaper La Provence printed non-nudity pictures. The images were taken as the couple holidayed in Provence in 2012.
Two Paris-based agency photographers and Closer's editor Laurence Pieau are among those accused of invasion of privacy and complicity. They appeared in Closer magazine in France, while regional newspaper La Provence printed swimwear pictures.
The others accused at the trial at Nanterre near Paris are Ernesto Mauri, chief executive of the Mondadori group which owns Closer, La Provence photographer Valerie Suau, and Marc Auburtin, the paper's publishing director at the time. Paris-based agency photographers Cyril Moreau and Dominique Jacovides are accused of taking long-lens shots of the royal couple, including the topless pictures, from a public road.
Cyril Moreau and Dominique Jacovides are the photographers on trial and are suspected of taking long-lens shots of the royal couple from a public road. The others accused at the court at Nanterre, near Paris, are Closer's editor Laurence Pieau, Ernesto Mauri, chief executive of the Mondadori group which owns the magazine, La Provence photographer Valerie Suau, and Marc Auburtin, the paper's publishing director at the time.
The couple were staying at a chateau in Provence owned by Viscount David Linley, the son of Princess Margaret. A prosecutor urged the court to impose "very significant fines" while a lawyer for the the duke and duchess called for "very large damages".
A lawyer for the the duke and duchess separately urged the court to impose "very large damages" over the images. 'Enjoy our privacy'
The couple are not expected to attend the hearing. The royal couple had been staying at a chateau in Provence owned by Viscount David Linley, the son of Princess Margaret.
After the photos were published St James's Palace issued a statement describing the incident as being "reminiscent of the worst excesses of the press and paparazzi during the life of Diana, Princess of Wales". Prince William's written declaration was read out by the couple's lawyer Jean Veil.
The royal couple also launched their own legal proceedings and a court in Paris later banned Closer, which is a separate publication from the UK's Closer magazine, from printing any further images. He said: "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."
He added: "The clandestine way in which these photographs were taken was particularly shocking to us as it breached our privacy."
He said the images were "all the more painful" given the experience of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, who died in a car crash in Paris in 1997 as she was being pursued by photographers.
The court heard mobile phone data placed Mr Moreau, 32, and Mr Jacovides, 59, in the area between 4 and 6 September when the topless images are believed to have been taken. But both men deny they were responsible for the pictures used by Closer.
Photographs of the Duchess of Cambridge in her swimwear used in La Provence are said to have been taken by Ms Suau, 53, but she told the court there had been no intention to breach the royal couple's privacy.
The duke and duchess are not due to attend the court, which is expected to announce its verdict on 4 July.
In 2012 they launched legal proceedings and a court in Paris banned Closer, which is a separate publication from the UK's Closer magazine, from printing any further images.
St James's Palace issued a statement at the time describing the incident as being "reminiscent of the worst excesses of the press and paparazzi during the life of Diana, Princess of Wales".