So, the rumors were true: Closer magazine released nude pictures of Kate Middleton this morning, much to the dismay of the duchess and the royal family.

A statement was released by the family as soon as the photos made their way across the Internet. "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," it read.

Middleton has since filed a lawsuit. The statement added that "legal proceedings for breach of privacy have been commenced today in France" by the royal couple.

Closer, the same publication that got the first scoop on Dominique Strauss Khan's recreational activities, posted the pics that were taken on a recent vacation. Middleton appears topless at a chateau while tanning and the shots are not sexual in nature.

The editor of Closer, Laurence Pieau, posted an explanatory video online Friday. In it, she defends the use of the photos, and calls Middleton the "princess of the 21st century," and a "young woman who is topless, just like the ones seen on all the beaches of France and the world." She also apparently hinted that there were more intimate shots of Middleton out there.