Man held for stealing 'intimate' pics of Prince Wills and Kate Middleton
2 Sep 2008, 1311 Hrs

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London, Sept 1 (ANI): A man has been held after trying to sell intimate stolen photos of Prince William and his girlfriend Kate Middleton to a London newspaper.

The photos of the couple on holiday in the Caribbean island of Mustique were offered to The Sun newspaper following the theft of a camera believed to belong to Middleton's younger sister Pippa, the paper said.

The snaps, described as some of the most personal and intimate pictures ever taken of the couple, were offered to the paper for 50,000 pounds.

More than 40 frames of the future King and his love were held on the digital device.

In the photos, the 26-year-old royal is seen relaxing with Middleton and members of her family, including Pippa, brother James, and parents Carole and Michael.

Several photos showed Middleton posing for the camera in her bikini as she enjoyed a yoga-style session on the beach, it said.

In another sequence, the Prince was seen wearing a woman's hat and striking a camp pose like '70s sitcom star John Inman.

Another photo showed the couple gazing at each other as they took a dip together in a pool - while a number of snaps showed them cuddling.

The newspaper was contacted on Aug 29 by two men, who used the names John and George and met a reporter in a bid to find out what the snaps were worth.

The men, who were secretly photographed by the newspaper, told the reporter they had found the flashcard in a gutter in northwest London.

They tried to sell the photos to the Sun but the paper handed over all its information to the police and a 25-year-old man was arrested by Scotland Yard detectives in a dawn raid on a house in west London on Aug 31.

The unnamed man was freed on bail after being questioned for 10 hours, and police were continuing their search for the second man.

A Royal source confirmed William had been kept informed.

"William was very concerned to hear that private pictures of him and the Middleton family had been stolen," the Sun quoted the source added.

"When the suspect's house was raided they were accompanied by Royal protection officers," the source added. (ANI)