Irish tabloid suspends editor over topless Kate photos

– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community

PHUKET: The editor of the Irish newspaper Daily Star was suspended late yesterday over his decision to re-publish topless photographs of Prince William’s wife Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, while on holiday in France.

The tabloid newspaper published the controversial photographs in its editions in Ireland on Saturday, a day after the photographs were first published by French magazine Closer. But Daily Star editor Mike O’Kane defended his decision to publish them, saying people wanted to know what the controversy was about.

“Independent Star Limited has suspended editor Michael O’Kane with immediate effect, pending an investigation into the circumstances that led to the Irish Daily Star re-publishing pages from the French magazine Closer, which contained images of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge,” the newspaper’s owner said in a brief statement late Monday.

It added: “Independent Star Limited has no further comment pending conclusion of the joint investigation by the newspaper’s shareholders.”

Meanwhile, the royal family has initiated legal action to stop further publication of the photographs.

“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,” a St. James Palace spokesperson said on Friday.

The spokesperson, who described the couple as “hugely saddened” by the publication of the photos, added: “Their Royal Highnesses had every expectation of privacy in the remote house. It is unthinkable that anyone should take such photographs, let alone publish them.”

— Phuket Gazette Editors

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