French Magazine Closer Carrying Kate Middleton's Topless Pictures Out on Stands
Copies of French magazine Closer showing pictures of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, and Britain's Prince William are displayed in a newspaper kiosk in Nice.REUTERS/Eric Gaillard

After French magazine "Closer" published photos of Kate Middleton sunbathing topless, Italian gossip magazine "Chi" too is planning to print the pictures in a special issue next week.

Despite the royal's attempt to stop other publications from printing the photos, Chi magazine is reportedly planning to publish them in their 26-page photo special of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in its next special issue which is expected to hit the stands on Monday.

Both the French and the Italian gossip magazines are part of Mondadori media group which is owned by former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

"The fact that these are the future rulers of England makes the article more interesting and topical," Editor Alfonso Signorini told reporters, adding, "This is a deserving topic because it shows in a completely natural way the daily life of a very famous, young and modern couple in love."

French magazine "Closer" had earlier adorned the front page of its latest issue with a topless photo of Kate along with Prince Harry on the terrace of a private house in the south eastern part of France.

The Duke and Duchess, who are currently on Asia Pacific Tour, have launched legal action against the magazine in a French court for invasion of privacy.

On Friday, St James's Palace said that it was suing the publishers of the magazine for publishing the pictures of the duchess and has described the pictures as a "grotesque invasion of privacy".

However, the 'Closer' editor, Laurence Pieau, defended her decision of printing the photos saying that she did not think the photos of princess were "shocking". She also stated that she thought the reaction had been "disproportionate".

"Two weeks ago, there were the pictures of Prince Harry that had been published by the English press. So one shouldn't be hypocritical. And those were pictures that were degrading and far more hot than those that we're publishing. She's a topless princess. There have been others. It's really not new," Sky news quoted Pieau as saying.

"We're in the celebrity press business and we know that these images are full of joy, not degrading and concern a princess who is pretty and is making the whole world dream."