Trial begins for six accused of profiting from pictures of Kate Middleton sunbathing topless

SIX defendants accused of profiting from topless pictures of the Duchess of Cambridge faced jail yesterday as their criminal trial opened in Paris.

Photographers and publishing executives are accused of invading Kate’s privacy after she was snapped sunbathing topless in public view in the south of France.

Three paparazzi snappers were among those in the dock at Nanterre Correctional Court, accused of photographing the 34-year-old duchess’s bare breasts in 2012.

The images sparked fury from Prince William when they first appeared in France’s Closer magazine.

Italian-based publisher Mondadori was placed under formal criminal investigation after the prince hit the roof and called in lawyers.

Photographers are said to have stalked the royal couple at Chateau d’Autet – Viscount Linley’s retreat in Provence.

The former hunting lodge is a hotel with its own staff, but at the time William and Kate are believed to have been the only guests.

They were incandescent with rage when they saw the snaps, and according to prosecution sources are “absolutely delighted” that those responsible now face punishment.

At an earlier hearing, the couple’s lawyer, Aurelien Hamelle, described the Duchess as “a young woman, not an object”.

He said they had suffered a “grotesque breach of privacy” and felt “violated” during a “highly intimate moment during a scene of married life”.

The Duke and Duchess originally launched criminal proceedings against the photographers under France’s strict privacy laws.

They also obtained a civil injunction to stop the spread of the pictures —although they also appeared in a number of other countries, including Ireland, and went viral online.

William and Kate are said to have launched a personal crusade to discover who took the images.

Paparazzi involved face up to a year in prison, as well as fines of more than £40,000, while Closer itself could technically be shut down for up to five years.

A spokesman for prosecutors in Nanterre said yesterday: “The maximum penalty for this kind of offence is one year in prison and a fine of 45,000 euros for individuals.

“For corporate bodies, the fine is £38,000 (45,000 euros), cessation of business for five years and public notification of the decision.”

Those charged include Laurence Pieau, the editorial director of Closer; Ernesto Mauri, legal director of Mondadori France; Marc Auburtin, director of La Provence; and Valerie Suau, a photographer with La Provence.

All deny any wrongdoing, saying the couple were public figures who chose to expose their bodies in front of hotel staff, and on a terrace that was easily visible from nearby roads.

They argue that it is of great public interest that young British royals now choose to sunbathe topless – something that would have been considered unthinkable by previous generations, including the Queen.

The Duke and Duchess were said to be following court proceedings “with great interest”.

The case opened yesterday afternoon but was adjourned to a date to be fixed.