British public overwhelmingly opposed to French magazine’s decision to publish Kate topless photos
An overwhelming 82% of Britons think it was wrong of a French magazine to publish photos of Catherine Duchess of Cambridge sunbathing topless, and 72% think the Royal Family is right to sue, our poll shows.
Women were somewhat more opposed to the publication of the photos, which were taken secretly while the Duchess and Prince William were sunbathing at a private family home in France.
- 89% of women believe the magazine was wrong to publish the photos, and only 5% think it was right.
- 75% of men were against the photos being published, while 15% said the magazine was right to do so.
Legal action
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are on an official tour of South East Asia as part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations, but it has been overshadowed by media coverage of the topless photos and the Royals’ legal action against French magazine Closer. The couple’s lawyer is seeking damages, as well as an injunction that would prevent the photos from being published elsewhere.
On Tuesday a French court ordered the magazine to hand over all copies of the topless images, and blocked further publication of the photos. The pictures have also been published in Ireland and Italy, however, and the ruling only affects the French publisher. The Palace has also made a criminal complaint against the photographer who took the photos, but it will be up to the French Prosecution Department to decide whether they want to pursue charges.
There was a similar gender difference when respondents were asked about the Royal Family’s decision to sue the French magazine.
- 79% of women think the Royal Family should take legal action against the French magazine for invading Kate’s privacy, and 14% think they should not.
- 65% of men believe the Royals were right to sue, while 23% said they should not take legal action.
Royals and the press
When the scandal broke, Buckingham Palace issued a strongly worded statement attacking what it called a ‘breach of privacy’, and compared the photographs to the ‘worst excesses of the press and paparazzi during the life of Diana’.
- 57% of the public believe the press report too much of the Royal Family’s lives, and do not give them enough privacy.
- 26% believe the media strikes the right balance between respecting the Royals’ privacy and reporting on stories of interest to the public.
- 8% said the press gives the Royal Family too much privacy.
Meanwhile, the Duke and Duchess are continuing their tour.
See the survey details and full results here
