Police to investigate Prince Harry's 'groping' photos

Aug 19, 2006, 1:40 GMT

Police are to investigate how a newspaper obtained photographs of Britain's Prince Harry groping a woman in a nightclub.

The pictures - published in The Sun newspaper on Tuesday (15.08.07) - are alleged to have been stolen from TV presenter Natalie Pinkham, who was pictured in one photo having her breast fondled by Harry.

Natalie, 28, contacted London police yesterday (17.08.06) to report that hundreds of negatives from her photo collection had been stolen while she was moving house earlier this summer.

She is due to file a written report about the theft as soon as she returns to Britain from holiday on Monday (21.08.06), and the investigation is due to commence next week.

It was initially alleged the pictures - which also featured Harry's brother Prince William - had been taken last month at swanky London nightspot Boujis.

However, it was later proved that the pictures were, in fact, taken three years ago during Natalie's birthday party at a different nightclub.

Suspicions about the snaps were raised after some royal commentators noted that Harry's hair was longer than what is acceptable in the British army, in which Harry now serves.

Meanwhile, Natalie's lawyers have reportedly launched legal action against another newspaper, The Daily Mail, for reprinting the pictures.

Solicitors Magrath have described the re-publication of the photos as 'a flagrant breach of copyright'.

Nick Goldstone, of Magrath, told Britain's The Independent newspaper: 'My client is very, very agitated by the fact that people are using these stolen photographs, when they know them to be stolen.

'She wants it to stop immediately. We have written to the Daily Mail and are awaiting their response.'

Copyright 2006 BANG Media International