Topless photos of Kate Middleton continue to make its way to the newsstands despite legal threats from St. James' Palace, but the Irish version of Daily Star, that also published the controversial photos, has faced closure threat.
French magazine "Closer" was the first to publish the topless photos of the Duchess of Cambridge, who was holidaying with her husband Prince Williams in France last week.
Publisher Richard Desmond, chairman of Northern & Shell group that jointly owns Daily Star, is furious at the decision to publish the photos and is reportedly planning to cut ties with the paper.
"I am very angry at the decision to publish these photographs and am taking immediate steps to close down the joint venture. The decision to publish these pictures has no justification whatever and Northern and Shell condemns it in the strongest possible terms," Sky News quoted Desmond as saying.
"We're absolutely horrified here in the office, and as a company. This has no merit as an editorial decision, it has no merit morally, it's frankly a horrible decision," added Daily Star Sunday editor Gareth Morgan.
However, Mike O'Kane, Daily Star's Republic of Ireland editor, has defended his decision by saying that Duchess of Cambridge has been treated like any other celebrities.
"The Duchess would be no different to any other celeb pics we would get in, for example Rihanna or Lady Gaga. She's not the future queen of Ireland so really the only place this is causing fury seems to be in the UK, and they are very very tasteful pictures," Entertainmentwise quoted O'Kane as saying.
Meanwhile, the Royal couple has sued French magazine "Closer" that first published the controversial photos.
"Legal proceedings for breach of privacy have been commenced today in France by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge against the publishers of Closer Magazine France," Daily News carried the statement of the couple.
French magazine "Closer" was the first to publish the topless photos of Kate, then Italian gossip magazine "Chi" followed suit and published them under the headline "Court Scandal: The Queen is Naked!" Both the magazines are owned by former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's Mondadori media group.
