Kate Middleton’s bikini photos revealing her baby bump were published by Italian tabloid Chi and American tabloid Star, inevitably stirring controversies as to whether they are breach of privacy.
The Duchess of Cambridge, who is globally acknowledged as a royal fashion icon, has often fallen victim to the media frenzy over her private life.
This time around, the pregnant wife of Prince William was pictured in a tiny bikini on a private beach of Mustique where they were taking some rest from the public eyes for babymoon.
Kate and William have allegedly taken seven trips to the island of Mustique for vacation, according to Melanie Bromley of E! Online. Every single time they embark to their supposedly “private” trip, Middleton was targeted and snapped by paparazzi.
The St. James’s Palace called Chi’s revealing of Kate’s baby bump photos “a clear breach of the couple’s right to privacy.”
“We are disappointed that photographs of the Duke and Duchess on a private holiday look likely to be published overseas,” a royal spokesperson said.
Just a day after the palace’s notice, Star magazine went on to run the controversial photos, on a five-page spread.
"Exclusive Royal Photos: Kate Shows Off Baby Bump!" the headline reads.
Even as the palace gets furious and many publications – especially British ones – choose not to cross the line, unfortunately the law may not be on the side of William and Kate.
"Each time you realize you're not really in a private place, you have a diminishing expectation of privacy" according to the law, attorney Dan Grigsby of Jeffer Mangels told E! Online.
"Sure, you start with a reasonable expectation first time you're on a private island, but if you're photographed again and again, pretty soon, it's hard to argue that you have a reasonable expectation of privacy."
Knowing or not knowing the legal backup, Chi's Editor-in-Chief Alfonso Signorini confidently spoke out to defend the magazine's decision to publish the photos of Kate’s baby bump, claiming that the photos do not "wrong the image" of the royal family and "portray a couple in love in a happy moment while they are walking on the beach."
"We cannot talk about violation of privacy when we publish pictures of public people in a public place, out in the open as it is the case of a beach that is visited by other people," Sigorini said.
"They are images of such unexceptional normality that there is only limited mention of them on the cover of the magazine," Signorini told the BBC.
"The photographs, which can in no way be considered scandalous, were bought from an international photo agency, do not harm the image of the protagonists and the reaction of the media seems to me wholly over the top."
Chi and Star only mark the first two publications to run Kate's bare bump. Australian magazine Women's Day is also set to publish the photos in their newest issue, which will be rolled out on Feb. 18.
"As a magazine that does publish photos of the royals, I am sensitive to the sort of pictures that shouldn't be published," Woman's Day editor Fiona Connolly told the Australian Associated Press.
"These (current) photos were taken on a public beach, the Middletons were openly chatting to other holiday makers. They are certainly not photos that they would disapprove of -- they are happy -- and the fact that the last time we saw Kate looking really unwell, coming out of hospital and at a really tough time for her in her pregnancy -- to see these photos where she's fit and healthy and really glowing is even more reason to celebrate."
Kate’s bikini photo controversy seems to have no end.
British broadcaster ITV apologized for accidentally showing Chi magazine’s cover while broadcasting This Morningprogram on Wednesday.
"Unfortunately we accidentally showed an unblurred image of the magazine cover, which briefly showed the photographs," ITV a statement from the network. "This was a deeply regrettable error and we are very sorry. We apologize unreservedly to the Duke and the Duchess."
The royal couple may as well eliminate the word “privacy” from their dictionary altogether.
"With the technology that photographers have now, being able to get a shot from so far away, there's probably nowhere in the world nowadays that the royals can go without getting a photograph taken," high-end travel consultant Lyndsey Green told E! Online.
One thing is clear - Kate Middleton has become such a public, sought-after figure, that the whole world will be watching her every step- and probably, her unborn baby as well.