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The Sept. 15, 2012 edition of the Irish Daily Star had topless pictures of Britain's Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge.
The editor of the Irish Daily Star has resigned following an internal investigation into his tabloid’s decision to publish topless photos of Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, while she was sunbathing in the south of France, the Irish Times reported.
Michael O’Kane, the editor, was suspended in September after investors of Independent Star Limited, the paper’s parent company, demanded O’Kane be removed from his position. Richard Desmond, whose Northern and Shell company co-owns the paper, demanded that the paper be shut down, according to the Times.
Following O’Kane’s resignation Saturday, the editors at the Irish Daily Star expressed a different view of the situation, according to itv.com: “Mr. O’Kane acted at all times in a highly professional and appropriate manner and in the best interests of the newspaper,” they said in a statement.
The blurry, long-lens photos of the princess and her husband, William, were originally published in Closer, a French magazine. At the time, a statement from St. James’ Palace in London said the couple was “hugely saddened” by the publication. The royals contended they had “every right to privacy in the remote house” where they were sunbathing.
The statement from St. James’ Palace even drew a comparison to Princess Diana, William's mother and the Princess of Wales: “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.”
The images were not published in Britain, nor were they published in the Northern Ireland editions of the Irish Daily Star. Northern Ireland remains under British rule.
Both co-owners of the Irish Daily Star had criticized O’Kane’s decision to publish the photos but the Independent News and Media, which has holdings in Ireland, Northern Ireland and South Africa, ultimately decided that shutting down the paper would be unnecessarily extreme, according to the BBC.
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Dear Ms Raftery, while I understand why you used the reference St. James' Palace, it is an incorrect usage. The correct designation, while counterintuitive, is: St. James's Palace. Several years ago it took me a week to get to the bottom of this issue !
Thank God you straightened that out. It sheds a whole new light on the issue.
Another Resignation, disguised as being FIRED..
What is it today with the words "You're Fired". Tired of all the Political Correctness.
Resigned to be with their family. How many times have all heard this "line".
Sure Kate got more lessons on how to be a discreet Duchess from the Queen. No privacy anywhere; they should all know that.
So can I get some helmet now that you got that straight!?!
I am forever indebted to his journalistic vision.
cheetah:
It's a quiet weekend/Thanksgiving Gobblers are out shopping or gambling with their friends.
NBC News Journalists want to take a break this weekend from work.
Respite from the hard core news of War, Economy, Jobs, Housing, Banks, and Corruption, bashing Presidents..
We found out that Kate's nips were dark, indicating a previous pregnancy. What became of it, I'm sure we will never know.
While I don't like egregious misspellings or poor grammar, a few mistakes are ok. Considering I knew exactly what she meant by this location and it's the only error she made, you just came across as a psycho-pedantic grammar lame. As far as the article goes, I hope Kate closes the curtains from the asshat paparazzi and most can figure out that the editor was fired by the board members simply worded in other terms.
Let's see. There is world hunger. Global warming. Global concern for the economy. Wars. and a few other "little issues" , for one to be worried about and THIS is the headline? First to Kate, keep your top on. I don't care if you are stark naked but apparently some one is a voyeur. Secondly, fired over a picture of boobs. Who cares? As a nurse, I have seen nude. Believe me, people look better with their clothes on. Lastly, whatever happened to freedom of the press? yes, I realize this article was not published in the United States but to fire someone who authorize, publishing poorly, printed photos of a royal? People need to get a life!
"We found out that Kate's nips were dark, indicating a previous pregnancy. What became of it, I'm sure we will never know."
You are full of it.
My "nips" have been very dark brown since I was 9-10 years old. Don't think I was pregnant until I was 25. Wrong on you.
Checking mine out now, fairly dark, about as black as my heart.
Two mins after posting that comment I get 3 Facebook invites...
Perverts.
The Royals make no mention of:
But, Kate Middleton bears her boobs publicly for the press and the Royals are "hugely saddened".
Sounds like the Royals should keep their focus on more important matters.
Every person's life is important, be it Kate, Duchess of Cambridge or a soldier. Remember, the paparazzi hounded Princess Diana to Death! Do you really expect Prince William to lose his mother AND his wife to these vermin? I hope that, behind the scenes, the Palace cause more heads to roll (so to speak). This is not enough, imo.
Gayle 19, Diana choose to get into the car with driver whom she knew to have been drinking. She used the press when it worked in her favor but whined about them when it didn't. Kate knows what she got into, she saw how Diana and Sarah Ferguson had been treated.
Bare her boobs? If you have a fenced in back yard, with 6 ft. wooden fences, you would expect a little privacy, wouldn't you?
Personally, I think all paparazzi and invasion of privacy should be illegal and punishable by 2 yr. of jail time, no exceptions. If you took the picture, you do the time. That would save a lot of time & effort. After all, you are taking away people's right to privacy. They have that right. Unless people are on public land or public place, all interviews including pictures should only be done WITH permission!
Why are you only concerned with "Irish sons" serving in Afghanistan? Don't the other soldiers count?
dman-353357: It was an Irish newspaper that got in trouble.
Mike-399184: Actually, I expect any public official that collects millions from the public for their private use to maintain a higher sense of decorum. I also expect their attention to be focused on the people they serve and not their own self interests. People keep comparing Kate to Dianna, but Dianna worked hard on the cause of eradicating mine fields and solving global hunger. She was much more than just a Royal. She was a humanitarian.
I hope he never works in the Media again. Just trash and only thinking of money. Enjoy your "retirement".
I agree. Maybe he can get a job in the porno field.
Fire all thats involved! Show some respect!
SIESTASIS, I believe the "porno" field makes billions...yeah, with a "B".
Tempest meet Teapot
Hmmm, WHATTTTT is thaa BIG DEAL here annnnnyway???? WTH izza matter w/peeeeeeople over there???
I don't know why he resigned. If Kate didn't want to be photographed topless, she should not have been topless. She surely knows she is a media target, it comes with the good life.
She was in a very secluded spot. The photo was taken from very long range. She is a classy woman, who is entitled to some privacy where she resides. She was residing in a private residence.
The photographer stole her right to privacy and the editor of the newspaper exacerbated the theft, by publishing the photo. They are two classless people.
That photo was taken from a distance of over 1 kilometer more than half a mile away from where they were actually at. They were at a private estate and as such were entitled to privacy.
Nothing is private when you are a public person. Even I know with today's technology I could be photographed from that distance, and Kate seems like a pretty smart woman. I bet Kate doesn't even care, its more the queen who is in an outrage. I wonder if she ever put herself in that situation.
Even if Kate was in a secluded spot, it doesn't mean photographers are forbidden from taking photographs. Their job is to get photos, whether it's for money or for a story. If she didn't want to get caught with her clothes off then she shouldn't have removed her top in the first place. This is one of the disadvantages of being a princess and it comes with the territory. Doesn't anyone know that there is no longer a "right to privacy"? All of the information we post online, the shopping we do online, banking we do online, the security cameras installed on almost every street corner, building, etc... We are no longer have "private lives".
In the end, if Kate wants to walk around topless without the possibility of being photographed then she should stay in her castle with the curtains closed. Period.
Right, so the press is okay when it works to your benefit, but if it works to theirs, thats a big no-no? Cry me a river.
If the photographer could get a shot so can a sniper...there is no privacy for them they need to deal with it and her choice to join the family.
Yes, it does. It is called intrusion on one's privacy. Photos taken of people on private property should be considered evidence of a crime.
I'd say they should arrest the photographer.
The British press are a bunch of hypocrites and the British royals are buffoons. Why do people pay such attention to them? That said, the Irish editor had every right to publish the photos. The owner of the publication is just a sucking up to the establishment.
Question for you Dan. What has Kate Middleton ever done that compels you to call her a buffoon? She has always acted with dignity and class. Her husband has bravely served his country in Afghanistan, which is a war zone, and does his duties, as required by the country of England.
I don't believe he did have a right since the courts order the photographer to turn over all copies and negatives so that they could not be published. These photographers are nothing more than peeping toms with cameras and if your neighbor took pictures of your wife or daugher sunbathing in your own fenced backyard and published them you would yell bloody murder.
We would keep our tops on. At the very most, we might loosen the back straps to eliminate tan lines. Is this what it all boils down to, the quest for the perfect tan?
No it boils down to the "right of privacy" when you are on your own property or property of friends. Privacy, something we should cherish but is being taken away by the religous right, rogue photographers, and corporate greed.
For pity's sake, there is no privacy anymore. I can google earth my address and zero right in on myself. There is no way I am going to be outside sunbathing topless. What if the satellite was positioned at just the right time?
People like Sheila believe they have the right to see, hear, and know everything everyone is doing all the time unless they are hiding in their basement with the lights off. They make great paparazzi... They dont' understand that just because someone CAN get the shot with a huge lens doesn't mean they SHOULD...... There needs to be more respect for peoples privacy..... Just because you are a public figure doesn't mean you give up all rights to a life. Some people (Sheila, Dan, URKiddinMe) seem to be so hard, bitter, and jaded that they don't understand that anymore. Sad...sad...sad.
Easy fix. It should just be illegal to publish any pictures of the Royals until they are officially approved...period. I know...free speech stuff...but, the Royals deserve to be treated with respect from everyone. We all want that except some green slim people we all know of.
Why should the Irish bend to the royals?
You have to earn respect, its not some birthright.
Luke, I have to assume you're joking, or we know for sure that you're a moron. Especially in Ireland why should anyone give a rat's rearend about the British royals? Feh.
The royals deserve no respect for being parasites. What to they do to justify their titles? Smile and wave. That's about it. For that, they get all the money they will ever need for life. Nice work if you can get it. But you have to be born into or marry into it. Royalty is a ridiculous concept that still has legions of fawning losers. Anyone who claims to be a king, or a queen, prince or princess, count or duke, or any other of the myriad meaningless titles they bestow upon themselves and their friends, should be sent to prison, until they admit they are totally worthless creatures who provide no benefit to society. Sounds like a life sentence for most of them. Twits!
Mymomdidnotraiseafool, substitute "politician" or "bureaucrat" for "royals" in your paragraph and see if anything changes. What did Barack Obama do to deserve his title other than winning a popularity contest?
Ummmmmmmm.............he was elected to office, which you may construe as a popularity contest, but he still won the election, and that is why he is in the White House. He was not born into the Presidency. He won't be president for life. His children will not automatically be the next President. Pretty simple, eh?
@MymomDidNotRaiseAfool,
your username is an invite to earned ridicule! Your mom, like anyone else doesn't purposely set out to raise a fool: you sound like a natural borne...Strange, but you wear your name like a pompous "Royal"! LOL...
Don't know why he wanted to publish it in his papers..the pictures are all over the net for months now.
There's room for this man in Hollywood. Plenty of work to do.
I don't care to see Kate's ta ta's. That said, all of this could have been prevented if EVERYONE will keep them covered along with their tushies.
I don't know what all the fuss is about. The pictures don't show much of any tatas, naked or not.
Yeah, we can't have Kate's tits splattered all over the media. What a bunch of spineless, namby pamby pantywaists.
Someone tell me exactly why this is important to anyone with the exception of someone else in the media.
So why is it important to you, jackieboy??
Its a royal scandal:) You have to admire Fergie for rising above all that and being her own woman.
Remember it was this type of photographer that caused the death of Diana. These guys are snakes.
Are you sure? Isn't there some kind of big conspiracy theory behind Di's death? Where did that white sedan disappear to in the tunnel?
It was her drunken chauffeur that caused Diana's death, no matter how much you still like to spin contributing factors.
This guy is disgusting. I wonder how he'd feel if his nude picture was published all over the place--and if he's married (hope not)--his wife's?
Too bad he can't be in prison for the rest of his life. We don't need morons like this any where...
How long have you been anywhere? Looks like you made an exception for yourself, eh?
Why don't they ever get nude shots of the guys? That would be a real coup.
Sheila, haven't you checked out Prince Harry's pictures, lately???
It is to laugh. I can never get over the British media's deference to the royals. The "Royals"? Royal what? Royal twits? Royal parasites? Royal morons? Royal buffoons? The whole idea of the British monarchy is an insult to the rest of civilization, and this farce should be terminated forthwith. They pose for pictures. They make insincere pronouncements. They pretend to be soldiers. They are a pox upon humanity, and they and all other "Royals" around the world should be stripped of their titles and made to work for a living, just as everyone else does. Screw them!
That's a little harsh. Surely they do something worthwhile? I don't think you can fairly call them pretend soldiers.
The Queen is very good at waving to crowds, and she's never been drunk in public. It goes downhill from there.
The Royals do serve a purpose. They are a major tourism attraction for the Brits, commoners and wealthy alike benefit. They bring in more tourism money than they cost the country. The Royals also contribute greatly to charitable organizations and do their duty in serving in the military defending freedom for their citizens which is more than I can say for the wealthy in the U.S.
The Royals are a tradition many Brits hold dear and they have a right to maintain their customs.
People of the world are losing RESPECT for one another. Everyone needs and deserves a certain amount of respect and should be afforded it. Perhaps those violating privacy did not get any respect therefore gives none in return. The papparazzi make money from embarassing the famous and the media expoits it. For instance the headline of this article eludes to a NUDE Kate...no...she was topless. There is a difference.
I find it hard to believe Kate didn't do this on purpose. I have never in my life sunbathed outside topless because I know if your outside anywhere,you don't have privacy. How does somebody that lives their life in public not know this?
Thats the million dollar question. These pictures command a good price for a reason, so the prudent person would not take a chance. I am with you, Kate is young and a lovely person, she just doesn't care. Its all damage control from the older royals, and in the end they caused more damage by making more people aware of the pictures. If you tell someone they can't look, then they are going to search even more.
As an American I am deeply embarrassed by the news videos of people acting like animals over Black Friday sales. Would like to say to our cousins from the UK that this is not what we have become. If you notice the people were mostly Brown in color. .. btw how is the wheelie bin wars going in jolly ol England ..
I went shopping on Black Friday, the first time I have ever gone. Maybe its just because they made it earlier, but on Friday, the patrons were courteous, the lines went through pretty fast, all was good. This economy is not going to heal until the consumer lets loose with some dollars, so I say its all good.
So only brown people shop on Black Friday and they all act like animals? Here in GG&G's Republican Texas all those animals were white and carrying bibles and coat hangers.
Easy fix. Kate does a classy Playboy spread. Anybody who wants to see her sweet petite tatas can. Nothing to be embarrassed about. No more reason for sleazebags to invade her privacy taking blurry telephoto shots, as they have no real value. Proceeds from Playboy go to fighting breast cancer.
Seems every Princess in England goes laying around topless...haven't we seen this before? If they got caught its their fault, not the man making his living watching for just such an occurrence. Be adults...if you do something and get seen, live with it don't make other people pay.
I agree, the man was just angling for that once in a lifetime shot that would score the big bucks. I wonder what the reaction here would be if we caught Michelle sunbathing topless on the White House lawn?
Why would she need to do that?
I just thought a little deeper, some guy lost his livelihood because the Royals were offended by someone photographing what must be second nature to them? Serfdom is still alive and well.
What the heck . She flops her boobs out for anyone to see and the editor is forced to quit . Maybe in her position she should of been more discrete . If people think its wrong to see them because she is a duchess then why dont these people tell her to keep her jugs out of the public view . If she likes to show them off then how is that the editors fault ? I dont get it . Obviously she is not Duchess material .
I personally could care less about the royal family and their privacy in particular but from a more general point of view if the guy needed a telephoto lens in order to get the shot then it is ludicrous for anyone to make the claim that her tits were in the public view. if she had been on a nude beach either public or private i would probably agree that she should know better and expect such things but if the photo is clearly taken on their property behind walls then those shots should constitute some form of trespassing or invasion of privacy and be susceptible to civil action at the very least if not misdemeanor criminal charges but unfortunately the law still has not caught up with the telephoto lens.
I agree with you. Sometimes people should be allowed their privacy when steps have been taken to at least attempt to be private.
While with droans hovering overhead, high space optics, and whatever is out there, there's no expectation of privacy! This is nothing but royals flexing their wings, in order to cover up the royals! Oppression of the Freedom of the Press! Kinda like POTUS not responding to what really happened in that other country - you know, failing to fund protection of our Diplomatic Corps overseas! POTUS's ranting to attack him, not some low level, not informed lamb, like you know whom! Well POTUS should be compelled to testify, as well as Ms. Clinton, as to what really happened, when our countrymen were killed, by terrorist! ABC, CBS, and NBC journalist are not what the used to be! They are nothing but part of the Democratic Propaganda Machine in the USA. Yes, controlling the press is putting the USA on the path of destruction, and Democrat's are to blind to recognize it! And then, we have POTUS endorsing the Muslim Brotherhood? {:-(}
Are you writing this in a low oxygen environment, or are you always this incoherent?
Fetal alcohol syndrome.
> ROYALTY SUCKS = yup!
> NEWS MEDIA is right on the spot to HUMILIATE anybody, anywhere, anytime, YUP.... NOBODY IS EXEMPT!