Angry: Media baron Richard Desmond intends to terminate the Irish Daily Star venture following Middleton photos row. Credit:charlotteaclarke.blogspot.com
On Saturday, Irish Daily Star published in its pages 13 pictures of Kate Middleton sunbathing partially undressed in France, a decision condemned by St. James Palace. The first magazine to publish the scandalous pictures was French magazine Closer.
Northern & Star boss is furious because of not being informed of the publishing decision by the newspaper’s editor, Michael O’Kane.
Desmond is now convinced he has the power to shut down the operations. Sources quoted by the Guardian say that he has already instructed lawyers to start legal action into closing the Irish Daily Star publication. Website www.thestar.ie has remained inaccessible also on Sunday.
“I am very upset at this decision, therefore I decided to take immediate action to shut down the business. Irish Star decision to publish Kate’s images has no justification and Northern & Star condemns it,” said Desmond.
Gareth Morgan, an editor of the “Daily Star on Sunday” – the Sunday edition of the newspaper-, had even a harsher retaliation. He claimed: “We are truly terrified here in the editorial, and as a company. It has absolutely no merit as an editorial decision. There is no moral merit, that’s just an awful decision.”
Desmond’s brand, Northern & Shell, co-owns the Irish Daily Star with the Dublin-based Independent News & Media (INM).
The royals condemned Closer magazine and see the photos release as “grotesque and totally unjustified”, adding: “There is no other reason than greed”. Royal House tried to discourage other publications to re-publish the images by threatening with legal action in court. Closer published four pages of photographs of the couple Kate and William as they were on holiday at the Château d’Autet in Provence, France.
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