Transcript for Trial begins in lawsuit over Princess Kate topless photos

and move on to that legal battle for the royal family. Prince William and princess Kate are suing French media for more than a million dollars in damages for publishing photos of Kate sunbathing and lama Hasan has the latest. Good morning, lama. Reporter: Yeah, and good morning to you, George. Six photographers on trial charged with invasion of privacy and complicity for taking those photos of Kate about half a mile from the chateau where they were staying at. William and Kate were not in court but William did submit a scathing statement slamming the French magazine. Lawyers for prince William and princess Kate in court suing French magazine "Closer" and its photographers over those images of Kate sunbathing topless while holidaying in the south of France. The duke and duchess of Cambridge asking for more than $1.5 million in damages. The Paparazzi, they are the enemy and will absolutely pursue them when they cross the line. Reporter: Lawyers for the duke of Cambridge Tuesday reading a rare statement from William himself. Expressing his anger and satness at the pictures' publication describing it as particularly shocking. The prince writing, my wife and I thought that we could go to France for a few days in a secluded villa owned by a member of my family and thus enjoy our privacy. The fact that photographers used such long lenses to take these photographs of the duchess of Cambridge with her husband in an incredibly intimate setting was just a step too far. Reporter: William invoking the memory of his mother's passing say the photographs reminded us of the harassment that led to the death of my mother, Diana, princess of Wales and that the images of Kate were all the more painful given his mother's death in a Paris car crash while being chased by Paparazzi almost 20 years ago. The lawsuit in line with the fierce battle the Royals have been waning against the tabloids for invading their private lives. In recent years releasing stern reminders to the press that candid photos of prince George, princess Charlotte and Harry's new girlfriend Meghan Markle are off limits. This morning lawyers for that French magazine are fighting back claiming that their coverage pleased not only their readers but also the royal family with a flattering portrayal. The French editor who published those photos telling ABC news the magazine did not cross any lines. She describes them as a young couple on a terrace where thousands of cars pass by every day and claims security was more an issue rather than media frenzy. Now the trial lasting just one day was heard by a judge. There was no jury and a strerd is expected on July 4th. We reached out to kensington palace and they told us they don't comment on an ongoing court case. I would not expect that. Lama, stand by. We will bring in Dan Abrams, our chief legal analyst. This is quite different from a case you would see in the united States and in some ways much more serious. Talking about a criminal case. You wouldn't have criminal charges brought here for that but the two questions here are going to be, number one and I think this is the most interesting one is the Paparazzi are denying taking the pictures. Part of the defense is you can't prove that we took this picture. And -- I think they could. They're bringing in evidence about how their bank accouns suddenly inflated and made a lot of money after the pictures were taken and their cell phone records, et cetera, but that's one of the defenses. You can't prove we took those pictures and number two is this issue of privacy. Right? Invasion of privacy is the crime here and so the question is how private should they have expected it was where they were. The Paparazzi say or the magazine says they were on a public road. One of the defenses and, yes, they used a telephoto lenses but anyone could have been on the road so there shouldn't have been that expectation of privacy. The magazine also seems to be saying there is no harm here. It was a nice story. Does that matter? I don't think that that is really going to change the issue of the photographs. No matter how you surround the photographs, the issue is going to be the photographs themselves. I don't think the surround story is going to be the case. Lama, how is this playing with the British public? Reporter: Well, let's put it this way, George, William and Harry undoubtedly believe the press intrusion into their mother, their mother's life, the Paparazzi harassing her led to her death 20 years ago and I think the British press are mindful of that. I think they're very respectful of that and I think they've given them their space and I think they rely on a photo opportunity to get images of the royal family and I think the British public agrees with that. They're also respectful of that and of their belief that it was because of the Paparazzi that Diana died 20 years ago, particularly when it comes to this case, because it was the worst invasion of privacy William and Kate have experienced since getting married in 2011 so it's a pretty big deal, George. Thank you, lama. The statements about Diana have any legal significance. They shouldn't, my goodness. The notion we'll relitigate something that happened 20 years ago with Diana seems to me crazy and this isn't a jury. This is a judge deciding it so you would hope that the judge is immune from that sort of, you know, sort of public pressure. Okay, Dan Abrams, lama, thanks very much.

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