Family of Pippa Middleton Files Formal Complaint Over Racy Photo Publication

With Prince William and Kate Middleton on a secret honeymoon locale chosen in large part to avoid paparazzi, these media members are under siege in the UK.

A legal battle over publication of racy Pippa Middleton pictures is brewing, with roots dating back to the 1997 death of Prince William's mother, Princess Diana.

The racy photo controversy involves shots of Pippa, Kate's sister and made of honor, sunbathing topless, partying and posing in a series of private moments.

The release of the photos prompted the Middleton family to file a formal petition to Britain's independent Press Complaints Commission earlier this week.

That complaint is seen as the first salvo in what is expected to be a conflict between the monarchy and the press as both sides try to establish boundaries.

Prince William and Kate Middleton are determined to live a normal life, and while generally reserved in public, William is fiercely protective of Kate's family.

Joe Little, editor of Majesty magazine, says "We've known for a long time William would not stand for any nonsense regarding his new wife and her family."

Many Britons - mindful of how Diana was tracked by the paparazzi in the moments leading to her fatal car crash - want to oblige William's desire for privacy.

It seems reasonable that the new royal couple, and the rest of the Middleton clan, should be able to move about without facing a barrage of cameras.

Then again, the public eats up all things royal. Where to draw the line? That will likely have to be established in the weeks, months and years to come.

In the meantime, don't expect any vacation pics of Will and Kate.

The prince and his bride jetted off this week to a secret honeymoon spot that royal watchers believe was chosen specifically to keep paparazzi at bay.

[Photo: WENN.com]