Kate Middleton Topless Photos Scandal

Heidi Klum is really upset over brand new topless photos that have been published in a French magazine ... claiming her privacy was violated a la Kate Middleton ... and now she's seriously considering filing a lawsuit.

The photos have surfaced on several websites ... showing Heidi on vacation in the south of France with her bodyguard boyfriend ... sans bikini top.

There's just one problem ... it's unclear which French magazine published the original pics.

Sources close to Heidi tell TMZ ... the supermodel's camp is on the hunt for the source publication ... claiming her right to privacy was violated because she was on a private and secluded beach at the time the pics were taken.

Sound familiar? We're told Heidi is comparing her situation to that of Kate Middleton ... who also believes she was the victim of privacy invasion when a paparazzo snapped topless pics of her while she was sunbathing at a private chateau in France.

We're told ... just like Kate, Heidi wants to sue someone's ass ... but realizes she might have better luck if she waits for Kate to blaze the legal trail.

Long story short -- if Kate's legal attack is successful, Klum can simply copy her playbook ... and if it's not, she can learn from Kate's mistakes.

A French court just put the kibosh on publication of the Kate Middleton topless pics, but the victory is kinda like plugging a dike which keeps springing leaks.

The court called the invasion of Kate and Prince William's privacy a "brutal display" and ordered Closer Magazine to immediately turn over all digital copies of the pics ... or else. The "or else" is a $13,100 daily fine.

Here's the problemo. The pics have also been published in Italy and Ireland and the ruling doesn't cover those magazines.

Prince William got an eyeful of boobies again, but they weren't attached to his wife Kate Middleton ... who was only topless-adjacent this time around.

YouPorn.com is offering unlimited money to the folks who own what appear to be sexual pics of Kate Middleton and Prince William.

TMZ obtained a letter, sent by the owner of YouPorn to the Editor of Closer Magazine -- which published the topless pics of Kate.

In the letter, YouPorn honcho Corey Price says he wants to buy the "intimate footage" the Closer Editor has been yakking about. Price writes, "We feel very confident that we can show this footage legally, and would like to make you aware that we have an 'open checkbook.'"

Kate Middleton and Prince William are hanging out in the Solomon Islands today -- this, as the Palace vows to get an injunction against an Italian mag, that's threatening to publish more than 200 topless pics of the Princess.

The Italian mag plans to unveil the photos in a 26-page spread Monday. But the Prince's legal team is on an International hunt to stop the dissemination of the photos ... showing Kate and William sunbathing on a balcony in a remote area of France.

Kate Middleton and hubby Prince William took their minds of the Duchess' topless photo scandal by scaling a giant tree yesterday during their trip to Sabah, Borneo.

The royal couple have been touring Southeast Asia, having previously visited Malaysia and Singapore.

An Italian gossip magazine will publish the famous Kate Middleton topless photos ... further inflaming the Royals.

Chi, owned by the same company that publishes French mag Closer (the first to publish the pics), will run a 26-page spread Monday. The headline -- "The Queen is Nude."

Editor Alfonso Signorni says he doesn't fear legal action -- Closer has already been sued -- because the photos are now part of public domain, adding, "I don't see anything morbid or damaging in them. Chi pays attention to respecting people's dignity. I don't think they hurt Kate's image."

Halle Berry may be collateral damage in the publication of the Kate Middleton topless photos ... TMZ has learned.

Halle's lawyer has been trying to convince the judge in her custody battle with Gabriel Aubry ... Nahla is better off living in France with her mom because the paparazzi are more gentle and respectful of celebs.

Gabriel's lawyer had only one real piece of ammo to counter Halle's claim -- the paparazzi chasing Princess Diana to her death. But that happened 15 years ago. Now Gabriel's lawyers have new firepower -- the pics taken of Kate Middleton were by an intrusive photog who we're told used a telephoto lens to capture intimate shots of her on a secluded balcony.

We're told Gabriel's lawyer is aware of the new Kate photos and it's almost certain he'll raise the issue when the trial resumes.

The editor of the French magazine that ran topless photos of Kate Middleton is suggesting she has SEX PHOTOS of the Royal couple in her possession but has decided not to run them ... yet.

Closer editor Laurence Pieau revealed the bombshell today while defending her decision to publish the topless pics of Kate ... saying "I won't hide the fact that there are more intimate pictures that exist that we haven't published and will not publish. These images are full of joy, not degrading."

She didn't specifically say sex pics ... but she didn't have to. It's pretty clear what she meant.

So why would she even tell the public about the unseen "intimate" photos?

Kate Middleton and Prince William have declared war on the French magazine that published naked photos of the future Queen of England -- filing a lawsuit today against the publication.

A rep for St. James's Palace released a statement saying that "legal proceedings for breach of privacy have been commenced today in France" by the royal couple.

So far, it's unclear what relief they are seeking.

As we reported, the family had threatened legal action over the topless photos published today by France's Closer magazine, showing a topless Kate on vacation with Prince William recently.

Now, they've made good on their word.

Moments after the pic went public, the Royal Family issued a statement, claiming, "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."

For the magazine's part -- Closer's editor Laurence Pieau has spoken out, calling the media "hypocritical" for condemning her decision to run the pictures.

Kate Middleton is furious over the release of topless pics taken while on vacation with Prince William in France ... and now the Royal Family is threatening to sue someone's ass over it.

The pics -- published by the French magazine Closer -- show Kate taking off her bikini top while hanging out with William last week at a chateau owned by the Queen's nephew, Lord Linley.

Moments after the pic went public, the Royal Family issued a scathing statement ... saying "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."

In the statement, the Royal Fam said the incident is "reminiscent of the worst excesses of the press and paparazzi during the life of Diana, Princess of Wales" ... who died in a car crash while fleeing from the paparazzi in France back in 1997.

The Royal statement continued, "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."

"Officials acting on behalf of their royal highnesses are consulting with lawyers to consider what options may be available to the Duke and Duchess."

"The Duke and Duchess remain focused currently on their tour of Singapore, Malaysia, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu on behalf of the Queen."

Closer magazine has a UK version as well, which IMMEDIATELY DISTANCED itself from its French counterpart, saying it would "like to make it clear that the two publications make entirely independent editorial decisions. In this respect the comments made by the Editor of the French edition which have reported in the media today do not reflect the opinions of Closer magazine UK."

"Closer magazine UK takes its obligations under the PCC Code extremely seriously and would never publish topless images of a member of the Royal family on its cover or otherwise."