French Court Set to Tackle Closer’s 2012 Sun‑Bathing Slip‑Up
Who’s Backing Up the Case?
- Editors: Laurence Pieau & Ernesto Mauri
- Photographers: Dirk and Nea (just a guess, but their names were mentioned in court)
- Appealed Court: First‑level decision from Nanterre (2017)
- Prosecutor: Marc Brisset‑Foucault (thrashing the paparazzi shenanigans)
The heart of the drama? A grainy snap of Kate Middleton basking in the French sun—no shirt, just bikini bottoms—taken on the Luberon chateau where the couple was hitting the beach in September 2012. Back in 2017 the editors got slapped with a €45,000 fine, while the photographers were booked for €5,000 (plus another €5,000 if they dared to repeat the offence).
Why the Boot‑Casing Fines Matter
Closer, the celebrity‑mag‑bigshot that reels in gossip, now has to cough up €100,000 in damages for the royal couple. The appeal is a daring bid to either lift or trim these penalties, claiming the hit on privacy was a bit too big for the fine print.
Prosecutors in Versailles are not backing down. “There was an absolutely unacceptable breach, not only of the privacy and the private lives of these two individuals, but also of the dignity of a woman,” declared Marc Brisset‑Foucault. Meanwhile, a lawyer for Closer—Paul‑Albert Iweins—is hoping the court will treat the fines as “excessive” and distance the magazine from the whole scandal.
The Royal Perspective
During the trials, Closer tried to rope in a “public interest” defense, claiming the pictures portrayed the royals in a positive light. But that move backfired, as a letter read out back in May 2020 sparked whispers. William’s own words echoed shared memories of paparazzi chasing his mother, Princess Diana, leading to her tragedy in 1997.
Bottom line
When Simone Weisstein, the journalist who might be writing this for you today, once wrote, “Who thinks the paparazzi just want a picture? Some of them want to see the big picture!!!”—the French court is lethal to the drama, shining a light on how wild paparazzis can get. Subscribe for the rebellious beats and the final outcome… and hey, keep your sunscreen up when you’re sun‑bathing in France. Courts and paparazzi—watch out!
