Three paparazzi were on trial in France on Tuesday in relation to topless photographs that were taken of the Duchess of Cambridge.

The photos were published in a French gossip magazine in 2012, causing outrage amongst Britain’s royal family.

The couple lodged a complaint to the court but did not attend the trial outside Paris.

The pictures of Kate were taken with telephoto lenses while she and her husband were sunbathing on a patio at a private luxury estate in France’s southern Provence region.

The owner and executive editor of celebrity magazine Closer were tried along with the former publisher of a French regional newspaper that also ran the photos.

None of the executives attended the trial.

Defense lawyer François Blistene is representing photographers Cyril Moreau and Dominique Jacovides and claimed his clients are innocent.

He said he is certain they will be cleared of any wrongdoing.

Blistene added that “The investigation was botched.

They were looking for scapegoats, they found these two.

But the elements in the court file show that they are not involved.”

Paul-Albert Iweins, the lawyer for Closer magazine owner Ernesto Mauri, asserted that he did not understand why the royal couple was upset enough to go to court.

“The article made everybody happy, from the readers to the royal family, whatever they might say, since the couple was presented under a very favourable light,” Iweins said.

The prosecutor asked the court to impose substantial fines on the magazine executives and photographers Moreau and Jacovides.

Jean Veil, the lawyer for Kate and William, said he was seeking high damages.

A verdict is expected on July 4th.

The case has sparked a wider debate about the role of the paparazzi and privacy in the media.

Last month, Prince William and Prince Harry spoke out about their mother’s death and how her life was constantly scrutinized by the press.

They also criticized the “unlawful” and “disturbing” behavior of paparazzi who followed their mother before her death in 1997.

In recent years, French courts have been particularly tough on those who infringe privacy laws.