The boss of a French magazine and a photographer face a formal investigation in France over the topless photographs published of Kate Middleton, it has been reported.
The photographs of the Duchess of Cambridge on holiday with Prince William sparked outrage in September when they were published in the French version of Closer, Italian magazine Chi and the Irish Daily Star.
The photos caused a furore when they were published
Ernesto Mauri, head of Mondadori, which publishes France's Closer magazine, is under investigation for invasion of privacy after topless photographs of Kate appeared in the gossip magazine in September, the BBC said.
Photographer Valerie Suau, from the newspaper La Provence, also faces questioning after pictures of the Duchess in her swimwear appeared in the newspaper.
Ms Suau admitted taking photos of Kate in her swimwear, but denies taking the topless photographs, the BBC said.Ms Suau admitted taking photos of Kate in her swimwear, but denies taking the topless photographs, the BBC said.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge filed a criminal complaint to French prosecutors over the photos and a court in Paris banned Closer from publishing any further images.
But pictures were also published in Italian gossip magazine Chi - Closer's sister magazine - and the Irish Daily Star, as the ruling did not cover publications outside France. No British newspapers printed them.
Closer argued that the photos, taken while the couple holidayed in southern France at a chateau owned by Viscount Linley, the Queen's nephew, were taken from a public road.
Mondadori, an Italian publishing group owned by former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, said it was "not aware of anything new with respect to what is already known about the issue", while La Provence said Ms Saua had its "support in the legal challenge she is facing today", the BBC said.
ends
A spokesman for St James's Palace said: "The ongoing legal process is a matter for the French authorities."
Earlier reports from the AFP news agency suggested two people had been charged in relation to the photographs. This has now been clarified.
See also: