Kate Middleton Topless Photo Scandal Inspires a Lawsuit

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The Royal Family has sprung into action on the Kate Middleton topless photo incident that nearly melted computers everywhere this morning: they're suing. Here's a quick recap of the scandal for those who just turned their internets on: The princess was sunbathing earlier this week on a seemingly private balcony with her hubby in France when someone snagged a photo or eight, which the country's Closer magazine then chose to run in a five-page spread. The magazine's editor-in-chief Laurence Pieau, took the "But vee ahre French!" route as an explanation, saying:

"There's been an over-reaction to these photos. What we see is a young couple, who just got married, who are very much in love, who are splendid. [...] She's a real 21st Century princess. It's a young woman who is topless, the same as you can see on any beach in France or around the world."

Then St. James's Palace got PISSED "hugely saddened" by the whole thing, called it "grotesque" and said:

The incident is reminiscent of the worst excesses of the press and paparazzi during the life of Diana, Princess of Wales, and all the more upsetting to the Duke and Duchess for being so.

Yeah, Closer, you're messing with history here.

As Buzzfeed Shift points out and that official statement alludes to, the last time the Royal Family sued was when some unauthorized photos of Princess Diana at the gym made their way to British tabloid Sunday Mirror. They did not feel the need to sue over photos of Prince Harry butt-naked and partying in Las Vegas, however, so the message is clear: Don't mess with the future Queen of England (but the second in line is kind of whatever).

Twitter, for the record stands by its Royal.

· How The Royal Family Is Turning Kate Middleton Into The New Diana [Buzzfeed Shift]
· All Kate Middleton Coverage [Racked]