Video Related To: Kate Middleton’s topless photos: Do royals and celebrities really have right to privacy?

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have launched legal action against the French magazine Closer over its publication of topless pictures of the duchess, Clarence House has said. The celebrity gossip magazine printed pictures of the duchess taken during the couple's private holiday in France. A royal spokesman said the legal proceedings had been launched in France and were for breach of privacy. Closer's editor says the couple were "visible from the street". "These photos are not in the least shocking. They show a young woman sunbathing topless, like the millions of women you see on beaches," said Laurence Pieau. She described the reaction as "a little disproportionate". The magazine's website says the pictures are of the couple "like you have never seen them before. Gone are the fixed smiles and the demure dresses. On holiday Kate forgets everything." French publication Closer printed the pictures of the duchess A royal spokesman said: "St James's Palace confirms that legal proceedings for breach of privacy have been commenced today in France by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge against the publishers of Closer Magazine France." The BBC's Nicholas Witchell said he had rarely seen such a level of publicly expressed anger over such an incident, and this anger reflected William's feelings on the matter. Our correspondent said that the prince had a "look of absolute thunder" on his face as they left Kuala Lumpur - a stop on their nine-day tour of South East Asia - to travel <b>...</b>