-
Related
Sadly, it's an image we've become all too familiar with - a celebrity captured indisposed by the eager and opportunistic lens of the paparazzi.
But this time around, instead of featuring Britney Spears stepping out a car or an unfortunate Lindsay Lohan bra slip on the red carpet, it comes from someone who is held high above the A-list social ranks.
And as another publication pushes aside its morals to print the topless pictures of the Duchess of Cambridge - with Italian magazine Chi dedicating a whole 26 pages to the occasion - further public outcry has erupted and the case has been left in the hands of the Royal Family's legal team.
So why is this considered an invasion of privacy for Kate, but not for Britney and the various other celebrities who have to deal with paparazzi trying to capture 'up-skirt' shots on a daily basis?
Apart from the obvious title of British royalty, Kate is a glorified celebrity - she makes planned public appearances, travels the world promoting her cause and has millions of fans who turn to putty with every dimpled grin she flashes.
And she has, most probably, been better prepared for the media and public scrutiny than any other ordinary celebrity, before she even stepped out with William.
One possible reason for the outcry is that the British and non-British public respect Catherine too much to allow her to be objectified in this distasteful way. The way she gracefully presents herself, her maternal nature and her classy fashion choices have gained her popularity points in the eyes of the public.
Although, it seems to me, the most obvious answer is that people are eager to protect Kate in order to prevent her going down the same path as her would-be mother-in-law, who was hounded by the media for years and tragically died being chased by the paparazzi. And if precedent is anything to go by, this won't be the Kate's last incident.
Even if she did have a reasonable expectation of privacy, I hope Kate takes this debacle on the chin to learn that zoom lenses do exist and there are people willing to take advantage of that.
After all, as a colleague pointed out, what if she hadn't sunbathed topless and instead wore a strapless dress with tan lines? In the watchful eyes of the world, she'll be damned no matter what she does.
Read more Jessica Beresford opinion or follow her on Twitter