Kate Middleton’s Royal Rack Published in French Tabloid [UPDATED]

Thanks to Prince Harry, we've already gotten a glimpse of the Royal Jewels. But if you've ever wanted to see a Royal Rack, now's your chance -- because a French tabloid has just published photos of a topless Kate Middleton taken while she was on vacation and thought she actually had a rare few moments of privacy.

In its latest issue, the rag Closer printed pictures of the Duchess of Cambridge sunbathing topless -- photos that are blurry and taken with a long lens, but clearly depict Kate and Prince William while they were enjoying some downtime in France.

(Wanna see them? Of course you do, you perv. Here's the NSFW link.)

Nicholas Witchell, royal reporter for the BBC, said it appeared British newspapers were offered the pictures last week but turned them down. Whether that's out of loyalty to the popular duchess or a fear of getting sued remains to be seen, as the UK has very strict laws protecting the privacy of public figures.

Indeed, Witchell added, "They could go to law or seek a remedy through the French court - that is a big step to take but that is clearly what is being considered now." [UPDATE: Well, that didn't take long. Commence the Royal Fleet of Lawyers.]

He also said William is furious: "I have rarely heard quite such a level of publicly expressed anger that I have heard today reflecting William's feelings. He is absolutely determined to protect the privacy of his wife; he has always been very protective of her and that anger has mounted during the day."

Kate and William's press secretary, Miguel Head, echoed those sentiments in a statement and said, "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. The incident is reminiscent of the worst excesses of the press and paparazzi during the life of Diana, Princess of Wales, and [is thus] all the more upsetting to the Duke and Duchess."

But Closer editor Laurence Pieau called the reaction "a little disproportionate," saying, "These photos are not in the least shocking. They show a young woman sunbathing topless, like the millions of women you see on beaches."

In other words, "Geez guys, pump the brakes. Boobs are boobs. Okay, so the ones in those pictures happen to be attached to the wife of the future King of England and were taken from miles away and worth the price of a closet full of vintage Chanel and will almost surely sell a record number of copies of our classless rag.

"But other than that? Gawd. They're just boobs."