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Have foreign magazines declared open day on our Kate?

Rarely have we seen the Duchess of Cambridge not looking 100% perfect, until now. Kate Middleton’s face has been splashed all over the cover of a US political magazine, and her teeth photoshopped to make them appear yellow and decaying.

The image of the rotting gnashers was used to signify the future of Britain, next to the words ‘Something’s Rotten. The Last Days of Britain’ on the July cover of New Republic magazine.

Also – as the scandal of Kate Middleton’s topless photographs rolls on please see a further comment from Duncan Lamont, Partner in the media team at Charles Russell LLP

Inside the magazine there are several articles which address the state of the United Kingdom’s economic and political systems ahead of the London Olympics. The cover and the articles have sparked outrage amongst commentators online.

“Cheap shot. They know she will remain dignified and not say a word, allowing them to “get away with it”,” posted one commentator.

One comment – It’s a picture of what Kate would lookalike if her teeth were not fixed, everyone please relax. The point here is why did they target such a lowly Royal as representative of Britain? Did they think photoshopping the Queen was going too far? America, the bully.

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As the scandal of Kate Middleton’s topless photographs rolls on please see below a further comment from Duncan Lamont, Partner in the media team at Charles Russell LLP:

“Although European Privacy and Data Protection laws should have protected the wronged Duchess of Cambridge, who has had her privacy undeniably intruded upon by Closer in France and now Chi in Italy, they clearly have not. On the internet and in the countries (which includes Ireland) where editors have chosen to pay and display, readers have been able to look at private moments on a private holiday, taken it seems from a public place but one some distance away by a crafty and patient paparazzo. Slam dunk breach.

But that does not mean one has to respond in the courts. The world’s public is perhaps outraged enough and the UK editors have (ill advisedly? ) said that they would not (indeed, never ) publish such snaps. That is a huge victory already.

“The Palace has allowed the lawyers to charge off to seek justice. Few would dispute that there is no public interest in such pictures. Heads should roll, or at least injunctions be obtained even if the digital horse has bolted. Modest damages and costs should follow.

“The problem the Royal couple must address is that if the French State gets more involved it will have its own agenda which may not be the same as theirs. The Politicians in France may relish the bullying of the press but our Royals have been surprisingly tolerant of the media and usually worked with it to promote the “firm”, the country and many charities which benefit from their patronage.

“Court cases can be complex, get hijacked by side issues and confuse otherwise clear cut principles. Plus the costs and delays.

“Such pictures actually highlight the need for firm regulation by a Regulator, in all the various jurisdictions. And as our Prime Minister found, getting a top judge like Leveson  involved-and having a Prince face cross examination by French lawyers-may raise more questions than provide satisfactory answers.”

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