Kate exposed by Closer magazine.

The Kate Middleton photo scandal that shows the royal topless while sunbathing has drawn the ire of many, but the magazine editor who published the controversial pics says everyone needs to lighten up.

Watch the video below, the Closer magazine editor is Laurence Pieau and she tells the French press that the long range pictures show "a young couple that has just been married. They are in love. They are beautiful."

Pieau states, "One shouldn’t dramatize these pictures," claiming, "The reaction has been a little disproportionate."

The editor adds, "(Kate) is the princess of the 21st century."

In the saucy snaps, the future queen is seen reclining topless on a sun lounger, giggling as the couple shares a joke, and lovingly rubbing sun cream into her husband's back.

More photos?

Pieau also revealed she was offered even more explicit photos of the couple but declined to publish them.

Laurence Pieau tells Sky News, "We took the decision to publish a certain number of pictures. I won't hide the fact that there are more intimate pictures that exist that we haven't published and will not publish. Probably other newspapers will choose to publish them but that wasn't our choice."

Watch the video below.

Meanwhile…

It has been reported that Prince William is full of "anger and disbelief" at the publication of the topless photos.

The second-in-line to the throne and his wife were sunbathing on a private terrace in Provence, France during a break from official duties last week when an unidentified photographer took a series of shots of the Duchess after she removed her bikini top.

Also…

Royal representatives from St James's Palace issued a statement following the publication on Friday describing the couple as "saddened" by the incident, but now a press aide for the Duchess has revealed the pair is reacting with mounting fury as more details of the images become known.

Miguel Head, the couple's press secretary, tells UsMagazine.com, "Their sadness has turned to anger and disbelief as we learn more about the photographs."

(Image: WENN)