The Dutchess of Cambridge is furious.

Kate Middleton and her royal family are very upset after French Magazine Closer featured a five-page of splash of photos showing Middleton sunbathing topless with Prince William in the south of France.

According to Reuters, Closer, a weekly round-up of celebrity gossip, ran a dozen shots of the Duchess as she slipped off her bikini top, relaxed on a sun lounger and at one point pulled down the back of her bikini bottoms as William rubs sun cream on her.

E! Online reported that the photos show Will and Kate sunning themselves on a patio, with the duchess initially wearing a two-piece, black-and-white strapless bikini. At one point, Kate removes her top and sunbathes in the buff. She also later applies sunscreen to Will while still topless.

"The spread is a blow to Buckingham Palace as it tries to move on from a scandal over naked shots of Prince Harry that tarred an image bolstered by Kate and William's wedding, the Queen's 2012 Diamond Jubilee and her Olympic Games appearance," Reuters reported.

A royal spokesperson called it a grotesque move and that it highly upset the royal couple, Middleton and William.

"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," a spokesperson for St James' Palace said.

"Their Royal Highnesses had every expectation of privacy in the remote house. It is unthinkable that anyone should take such photographs, let alone publish them."

Closer's editor-in-chief Laurence Pieau described the photos as a "beautiful series" that showed a couple in love and were in no way degrading. She said the magazine had more intimate shots from the same series that it opted not to publish.

"There's been an over-reaction to these photos. What we see is a young couple, who just got married, who are very much in love, who are splendid," Pieau told French BFM television.

"She's a real 21st Century princess," she added: "It's a young woman who is topless, the same as you can see on any beach in France or around the world."

The royal palace doesn't think so one bit.

According to Telegraph, the royal spokesperson said, "The incident is reminiscent of the worst excesses of the press and paparazzi during the life of Diana, Princess of Wales, and all the more upsetting to The Duke and Duchess for being so. We feel a line has been crossed with their publication."

"Officials acting on behalf of Their Royal Highnesses are consulting with lawyers to consider what options may be available to The Duke and Duchess."

Photos of the royal couple by the Daily Mail show Middleton and William putting on brave faces, but looking strained after the topless photos were released Friday.

According to E! Online, the royal couple is currently in Malaysia, where they visited a mosque for the first time.

"The duke and duchess remain focused currently on their tour of Singapore, Malaysia, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu on behalf of HM the Queen," the palace said.