Italian magazine to publish topless Kate photos despite legal risks

MILAN, Sept 15 (Reuters) - An Italian gossip magazine, Chi, plans to publish on Monday a special 26-page edition dedicated to topless pictures of the wife of Britain's Prince William, its editor said, defying risks of legal action.

The royal couple has already begun action against the French magazine Closer after it published a dozen shots of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge - the former Kate Middleton - as she slipped off her bikini top while sunbathing at a French chateaux.

Both Chi and Closer are controlled by Italian publisher Mondadori, part of the media empire of former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and chaired by his daughter Marina.

Chi Editor in Chief Alfonso Signorini said the special edition would include a 26-page reportage with topless pictures of the duchess, including some unpublished shots of her vacation with Prince William, second in line to the British throne.