Following the topless photos comes this new revelation that photos of Kate Middleton in a bikini and showing her pregnant have appeared in Italian magazine Chi. 
According to reports, the pictures – which show Kate and William walking along a beach while holidaying in the secluded Caribbean island of Mustique – have now been sold to the United States, France, Germany and Australia.
These photos will not be printed in the UK as the press here is worried about upsetting Clarence House – and possibly even being sued over privacy laws.
But these foreign editors, who do not have to conform to UK laws, have no worries about printing them saying that the photos of Kate and William have been taken by a member of the pubic on a public beach.
The question is are these photos – in which Kate hardly looks pregnant anyway – a breach of the Royal couple’s privacy?
Although the couple are holidaying on a private island – the paparazzi are banned from taking pictures of anyone there – we think not.
We believe it’s a shame and a huge over-reaction of Clarence House to call these photos ‘violating’ the couple’s privacy.
After all, this is just a young woman expecting her first baby in a bikini. Presumably she is happy to be seen like this by the general public as she is on a beach with members of the public.
It is quite different from the topless photos taken on a private property when Kate didn’t expect anyone other than her husband (and staff) would see her.
As staunch Royal family supporters, of course they have the right to privacy. But at the same time, surely if you live in luxury at taxpayer’s expense, you should accept your private life won’t be as private as the person in the street.
But this Royal couple seem to have a lot of privacy. Save for a glimpse of Kate when she left hospital after suffering from pregnancy sickness, and a couple of engagements afterwards, we’ve barely seen her or William.
Which leads even us – as those who really do like this couple – to question whether they are doing enough ‘good work’ to warrant the millions of pounds spent on keeping them in this luxury.
Rather than try to keep the couple – and Kate’s pregnancy so under wraps – it might have been a good idea to have had a press call for a couple of hours during this holiday. A few photos of them that they approve of would have made any others less interesting.
At the same time, if the couple want to ensure Kate is not snapped in something she isn’t happy to be photographed in, then she shouldn’t wear it in public.
That might sound harsh – but some pregnant women wouldn’t want to be in a bikini with a fat tum at all. Some would wear a full swimming costume on the beach.
And it might be better for Clarence House just to say ‘no comment’ rather than to keep whinging on about ‘breaches of privacy.’
The problem is all this could alienate Kate and William from the general public. If they continue to hardly be seen in public together (lest the odd official engagement) and to complain when a ‘non approved’ snap appears, they could see a backlash. After all, for most people life is pretty difficult right now.
Many people are struggling to pay mortgages, to get a place of their own, afford the fees for university, or even food on the table – and here we have a ‘publicly funded’ couple (who are beginning to appear ‘precious’) who we pay lots of money to let live in luxury. Most of that time they live their privileged lives behind firmly closed doors – and then when they are snapped by a photographer when they don’t want to be – have a good old moan.
Let’s hope Kate and William get out and about a little more as a couple when they return from their hols. The public needs to see more of Kate. Yes, she is pregnant but she’s clearly over her sickness so there’s no excuse for not doing a few more public engagements. At the same time her pregnancy is something the public wants to celebrate with her, not something she should be hiding.
It is also looking pretty ridiculous that although these pretty harmless photos of a healthy young woman walking along a public beach are going to be printed all over the world, the UK public won’t see them.
These are not topless pictures (although why she went topless with staff around is anyone’s guess, I wouldn’t go topless on my patio if workmen were in house for example and my daughter, 21, thinks it’s naff to go topless at all) and they were not taken with a long lens.
If these innocent and harmless pictures of a healthy pregnant Kate were in your paper you would look and then turn the page. But all of this makes a big issue out of something which should be celebrated. What a shame.
Do you agree? Let us know in our poll below and leave your comments!
