French judge to probe topless Kate pics

Paris - A French judge will lead a probe into how topless photos were obtained of Prince William's wife Catherine and will seek to identify the photographer, sources close to the inquiry said on Friday.

French prosecutors last week ordered a preliminary investigation into whether Closer magazine, which published the images on September 14, and the photographer had committed a criminal act.

That has now become a fully-fledged investigation, the sources said.

An injunction granted by a court in Nanterre in the Paris suburbs had ordered the magazine to hand over all forms of the pictures to the British royal couple within 24 hours or face a €10 000 fine for every day's delay.

The injunction also bans the glossy magazine from re-using them in print or on its website and re-selling them on pain of further €10 000 fines for each infraction.