Paper says 21-year-old on work experience and its picture editor were 'happy to strip' for mock-up of controversial photos

The Sun has denied that it pressured a 21-year-old woman on work experience to strip off for a mock-up of the Prince Harry naked pictures.

A shot of a naked Sophie Henderson, cuddling up to a Sun staffer who has also stripped to pose as Prince Harry, appeared on the front page of the News International tabloid on Thursday morning.

The photo also briefly appeared online before being removed. A News International spokeswoman said the photo had been published online "in error" and was never intended to go online because the real pictures were available on the internet from media organisations outside the UK.

"There is no suggestion that she [Henderson] is in any way unhappy," said the spokeswoman.

On page 5 of Thursday's Sun the paper describes "How we 'heir brushed' pic", with a picture caption stating that Henderson and picture editor Harry Miller "dropped everything to recreate the Prince's pose – after the Palace asked us not to print the real Vegas snaps". It adds that the pair were "happy to strip".

One manager of a large media company, who did not want to be named, said it was highly unethical to get an intern to strip. "If we did that to a work experience person, we'd worry about finding ourselves in court."

Miller and Henderson issued a statement late on Thursday confirming they were happy to have taken their clothes off for the paper.

"For anyone worried about whether we were forced against our will to strip off, we are pleased to be able to set the record straight. Please be assured, there is no cover-up at Wapping. It was a bit of harmless fun and we were delighted to have played our part in making the readers laugh," they said in a statement issued by the company.

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