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28 March 2024

Pippa Middleton launches High Court case over photo hack

Published
By Bang/AFP

Pippa Middleton has launched a case at the High Court, in what is believed to be an action to stop publication of her hacked photos.

The 33-year-old party planner - who is the younger sister of Duchess Catherine, the wife of Prince William - has lodged a case in the Queen's Bench Division of the London court, where judges look at issues of privacy and libel, and though the details of her filing are unknown, it is believed to be an attempt to stop hacked photos of her being shared.

Pippa has had around 3,000 images stolen from her iCloud account, and the photographs - including images of her nephew and niece Prince George and Princess Charlotte, a nude of her fiance James Matthews, and a picture of her trying on a wedding dress - were said to have been offered for sale for £50,000.

The brunette beauty's action comes after website designer Nathan Wyatt was released on bail after being quizzed by police in relation to the hacking.

Local residents had previously said they were shocked when police descended on the home Wyatt shares with fiancee Kelly Howell and their children in connection with the theft.

Neighbour Patricia Kightly said: "They are a nice, respectable couple. I have only heard them squabbling twice in the years they've been here.

"They've even kept an eye on my house while I've been away for me so they are people I trust."

Another surprised local resident said: "He stays at home and she works.

"They all turned up at 10pm on Saturday night. They were taking a lot of pictures in the house but also outside.

"The cops were checking in the boot of his car and looking for paperwork.

"He is friendly and always says good morning - police haven't told us what it is about."

Pippa Middleton hacking suspect released on bail

A man arrested on suspicion of illegally obtaining 3,000 images from Pippa Middleton's iCloud account has been released on bail.

Website designer Nathan Wyatt, 35, swore at waiting photographers when he returned to his home in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, late on Sunday after being quizzed over the theft of around 3,000 photographs belonging to the party planner - who is the younger sister of Duchess Catherine, the wife of Prince William - which were then offered for sale for £50,000.

Local residents had previously said they were shocked when police descended on the home Wyatt shares with fiancee Kelly Howell and their children in connection with the theft.

Neighbour Patricia Kightly said: "They are a nice, respectable couple. I have only heard them squabbling twice in the years they've been here.

"They've even kept an eye on my house while I've been away for me so they are people I trust."

Another surprised local resident said: "He stays at home and she works.

"They all turned up at 10pm on Saturday night. They were taking a lot of pictures in the house but also outside.

"The cops were checking in the boot of his car and looking for paperwork.

"He is friendly and always says good morning - police haven't told us what it is about."

The hacked images - which were offered for sale by someone demanding £50,000 within 48 hours - included pictures of Pippa's nephew Prince George and niece Princess Charlotte, a photo of the party planner at a wedding dress fitting and a nude shot of her fiance James Matthews.

Pippa Middleton photo hacker arrested

A "respectable" stay-at-home father has been arrested in connection with the hacking of Pippa Middleton's iCloud account, after 3,000 of her private images were stolen and offered for sale.

The 33-year-old author - who is the younger sister of Duchess Catherine - had her vast collection of digital pictures stolen and reportedly offered for sale, and police are now quizzing 35-year-old Nathan Wyatt, much to the surprise of his neighbours in Northamptonshire, East Midlands.

Neighbour Patricia Kightly said of Nathan and his fiancée Kelly Howell: "They are a nice, respectable couple. I have only heard them squabbling twice in the years they've been here.

"They've even kept an eye on my house while I've been away for me so they are people I trust."

Another surprised local resident told The Sun newspaper: "He stays at home and she works.

"They all turned up at 10pm on Saturday night. They were taking a lot of pictures in the house but also outside.

"The cops were checking in the boot of his car and looking for paperwork.

"He is friendly and always says good morning - police haven't told us what it is about."

Police have confirmed they have made an arrest in connection with the case.

They said: "Detectives investigating the hacking of a personal iCloud account have made an arrest.

"On Saturday evening, a 35-year-old man was arrested at an address in Northamptonshire.

"He was arrested on suspicion of a Computer Misuse Act offence and is being taken into custody at south London police station. Enquiries continue."

The hacked images - which were offered for sale by someone demanding $65,000 within 48 hours - included pictures of Pippa's nephew Prince George and niece Princess Charlotte, a photo of the party planner at a wedding dress fitting and a nude shot of her fiancé James Matthews.

Suspect in Pippa royal photo 'hack' bailed by UK police

A suspected hacker was bailed by British police on Sunday following reports that 3,000 photographs had been stolen from Pippa Middleton, sister-in-law of Prince William, and were up for sale.

The pictures were reported by The Sun and Daily Mail newspapers to have been stolen from Middleton's iCloud account and included shots of her sister Kate, plus her and William's children Prince George, three, and Princess Charlotte, one.

The Sun said it had been asked for £50,000 (58,000 euros, $65,000) for the shots, after someone contacted the newspaper via the encrypted messaging service WhatsApp.

London's Metropolitan Police said on Sunday a 35-year-old man arrested a day earlier had been released on bail, to return to a police station in the British capital in late November.

Police said the suspect, whom they did not name, was arrested in the central English county of Northamptonshire on suspicion of a Computer Misuse Act offence.

Detectives received a report on Friday regarding the alleged hacking of a personal iCloud account, police said, without naming Middleton as the victim.

Pippa Middleton, 33, is the younger sister of Kate and found fame after acting as bridesmaid at the 2011 royal wedding.

She is engaged to hedge fund boss James Matthews and the couple are expected to marry next year. The allegedly hacked photos also reportedly included shots of her own wedding preparations.

William and Kate and their two children started an eight-day tour of western Canada on Saturday.

Pippa Middleton's iCloud hacked as 3000 photos of her and fiance stolen

Pippa Middleton is said to have had 3000 of her private photos stolen and offered for sale to the media.

The 33-year-old author - who is the younger sister of Duchess Catherine - has had her Apple iCloud account hacked and an anonymous person is offering to sell the photographs to media outlets.

The seller promised pictures of her royal relatives including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's children Prince George and Princess Charlotte as well as photos from parties, wedding dresses and "everything in between", the Mail Online reports.

The seller told journalists: "Due to current climate on privacy laws in the UK I'm intending a quick US sale but would at least give you a heads-up ...

"This is obviously a vast source of info and pictures that I neither want nor intend to keep in my possession very long."

A spokesman for Pippa has confirmed action will be taken over the images.

They added: "Miss Middleton's lawyers have been informed and, in due course, the police will too."

Pippa - who recently got engaged to hedge fund manager James Matthews - is not the first celebrity to get her account hacked.

Jennifer Lawrence, who had personal photos stolen, admitted she was left feeling "afraid" when intimate pictures were shared with the world.

She said at the time: "I was just so afraid. I didn't know how this would affect my career ... I can't even describe to anybody what it feels like to have my naked body shoot across the world like a news flash against my will. It just makes me feel like a piece of meat that's being passed around for a profit.

"Just because I'm a public figure, just because I'm an actress, does not mean that I asked for this. It does not mean that it comes with the territory. It's my body, and it should be my choice, and the fact that it is not my choice is absolutely disgusting. I can't believe that we even live in that kind of world. People forget that we're human."