NEWS'Chi' Magazine Editor Defends Decision to Publish Kate Middleton Topless Photos
Sep. 17 2012, Published 3:39 p.m. ET
Anyone in Italy clamoring to get those topless photos of Duchess Kate were able to do so Monday, as Chi magazine went ahead with their 26-page spread of the much-talked about pictures. The special edition included 50 shots, and the magazine reportedly has 200 more at their disposal.
Chi editor Alfonso Signorini has said that "not even a direct call from the queen" would stop him for publishing the pictures — this was a response to one of his Twitter followers, who asked him rethink his decision.
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“...this is what we are talking about,” he said. “These pictures are not offensive or in poor taste, they are not morbid and they do not damage the dignity of anyone."
He went on to differentiate between the Kate pictures and those of Prince Harry's strip billiards game in Las Vegas several weeks ago.
“Instead the pictures that were published in Britain of Prince Harry were exactly that — if I didn’t recognize the journalistic value of what I had then if I did not publish them I would be better off in a market selling artichokes."
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As OK! reported, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are seeking legal retaliation in France against Closer magazine, which was the first to publish the photos last week. Their lawyers will argue that the photos could not have been taken without a photographer trespassing on the property where Kate was sunbathing topless. Signorini, however, does not see things that way.
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“These pictures were taken while the couple were on a terrace and they were taken from a public place so there is no suggestion of an invasion of privacy," he said.
Signorini further argues his case within the pages of Chi: "For the first time, the future Queen of England appears in a natural way, free from all artificial elements required by her role. The Royal Family, instead of getting angry with the media, that are simply exercising their right to inform, should, in my humble opinion, take the opportunity and comment on this scoop with the typical British humour, by saying 'So what?'".
Meanwhile Will and Kate have been continuing their Jubilee tour in Southeast Asia, and from the looks of things, they aren't letting this scandal get to them.
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