Star Magazine, Kate Middleton Pregnant Baby Bump Pictures; First US Publication to Print Bikini PHOTOS
Despite the controversy surrounding Chi magazine for printing pictures of Kate Middleton's baby bump, tabloid Star magazine become the first U.S. publication to run the photos of the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge.
Star released their latest issue on Wednesday with pictures of Middleton in a five-page photo spread, wearing a blue bikini that showed off her growing belly with the headline "Exclusive Royal Photos: Kate Shows Off Baby Bump!"
View the photo of a pregnant Middleton on the cover of Star magazine here.
Star spoke to a source who was in Mustique, the Caribbean island the royal couple was vacationing on when the bikini photos were taken.
"William joined Kate for an early morning swim; they were touching and kissing in the waves," an eyewitness told the magazine. "When they came out of the water, he got down on his knees in front of Kate and kissed her baby bump. He then hugged her and held her as they watched the sunrise together. You could tell it was a magical moment for them."
"Kate really wanted to get away one last time before the baby is born," the onlooker added.
The tabloid hit newsstands the day after St. James Palace released a statement saying it was "disappointed" that the pictures of Middleton's baby bump had been printed in Chi, an Italian tabloid.
Chi released the same pictures of Middleton on Tuesday with the headline "La Pancia Cresce," which when translated means "Your Belly Grows."
St. Palace called the images in Chi "a clear breach of the couple's right to privacy."
The British tabloid Daily Mirror declined to look at the images and said they will not publish them out of respect for the royal family, according to New York Magazine. All of Britain's other news outlets also refused to publish the photos.
St. James Palace has yet to reveal if they will take legal action against Chi and Star.
View the photo of Middleton's growing baby bump on the cover of Chi here
Middleton reportedly stayed at a $30,000-a-week villa with her husband Prince William while they vacationed on the Caribbean island. Her parents and younger sister, Pippa Middleton, also vacationed on the island at the same time and stayed at a nearby property.
Kate was hospitalized for severe morning sickness in December the day after she announced her pregnancy and has kept a low-profile ever since. She is expected to make her second official appearance since announcing her pregnancy at a London charity on Feb. 19.
Chi is the same Italian weekly magazine that published a 26-page photo spread of Kate topless in September of 2012.
