Kate Middleton’s Topless Photo Scandal Surprisingly Showed Why She Would Make a Great Queen
Kate Middleton‘s topless photo scandal was a turning point in her life as a royal. Ever since Catherine, the Princess of Wales joined the royal family in 2011, she has rarely been involved in scandals. However, Kate, unfortunately, did deal with a PR mess once when the topless photos of her were released to the tabloids.
Although the incident was not a desirable situation for the royal family, it did highlight why Kate would make a great queen in the future.
Kate Middleton dealt with an invasion of privacy in 2012
In 2012, Kate and her husband, Prince William, took a trip to the south of France for a vacation. The couple stayed at a secluded chateau owned by Viscount David Linley, Queen Elizabeth’s nephew.
At some point during the vacation, Kate decided to sunbathe topless. However, unbeknownst to the duchess, a paparazzo was watching her and took photos of what was supposed to be a private moment.
The paparazzo later sold the photos to the French tabloid newspaper Closer, creating an international scandal. While the royal family often did not respond to what the press published about them, they took swift action in this situation and sued the outlet.
“Their Royal Highnesses have been hugely saddened to learn that a French publication and a photographer have invaded their privacy in such a grotesque and totally unjustifiable manner,” a statement released by St. James’ Palace read. It also 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.”
The scandal surprisingly showed why Kate Middleton would make a great queen
Kate Middleton’s topless photo scandal was a sad reminder of how difficult it could be to protect one’s privacy as a royal. However, there was a silver lining to it, which was that Kate got a chance to show the world how regal she could be.
According to royal reporter Camilla Tominey, Kate remained very calm and collected throughout the ordeal—a trait that has served her well as a royal.
“William ‘hit the roof’ when paparazzi photographs emerged of his wife sunbathing topless during a private holiday in the south of France in 2012, but Kate largely shrugged it off,” Tominey wrote for The Telegraph. “Not one to pore over press coverage – unlike her husband … who is described as ‘a bit of a news junkie’ – the Duchess remained relatively unruffled by the images, which not only showed her in a state of semi-nudity but also puffing on cigarettes.”
Tominey also likened Kate’s reaction to the scandal to a more recent event: Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex stepping down as senior royals. The two have been ruffling feathers by publicly criticizing the royal family, but Kate has continued to take the high road instead of joining in on the fight.
Kate Middleton has gained more popularity
Kate’s level-headedness may have actually helped her become popular. In fact, according to royal author Katie Nicholl, she became even more well-liked during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
“I think some people might say that the lockdown that we’ve experienced here—well, three of them—in my ways was the unlocking of Kate,” Nicholl said to 60 Minutes Australia. “I think that the public got to see more of the true duchess than they’ve ever been able to see before.”
Kate Middleton’s popularity continued to improve, even following Queen Elizabeth’s death and the coronation of King Charles. According to research firm YouGov, Kate is the second most popular royal—just behind Queen Elizabeth.
