Presiding judge Florence Lasserre-Jeannin delivered her judgment during the hearing at the Tribunal de Grande Instance de Nanterre.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were on the terrace of a private chateau in Provence owned by Viscount Linley, the Queen's nephew, when they were photographed in September 2012.

The long-lens images were spread across the front and inside pages of Closer alongside an article about the pair with the headline "Oh my God!".

One of the most intimate shots showed the Duchess of Cambridge topless and having suncream rubbed into her by Prince William.

The verdict comes just after the 20th anniversary of the death in Paris of Diana, Princess of Wales.

During the trial, a statement from the Duke was read to the court in which he said the photos brought back painful memories of the "harassment" his mother had endured by paparazzi.

Closer's lawyers had countered that it was of public interest to know that "the potential future heirs to the throne have a solid relationship and are getting on well. It's all part of the royal business".

They had slammed the request for €1.5 million as "an Anglo-Saxon reasoning of punitive damages" in a French court.

The judgment comes just one day after it was announced Kate and William are expecting their third child together.