Kate Middleton Photos Controversy & Scandal Started By British Photographer Ordered By Closer To Spy

Police raided the office of Closer magazine earlier this week to find information on the photographer of the topless photos of Kate Middleton, and now sources confirm that they discovered the cameraman is British and he was ordered by Closer to spy on the chateau where the royal couple was vacationing.

This information was revealed by a French paparazzo, according to The Times of India.

The source is famous cameraman Pascal Rostain, a friend of former French First Lady Carla Bruni, and he claimed that the Closer photographer lives in the south of France, according to the publication.

Rostain told the French Metro newspaper in Lyon, "These photos were taken on the orders of Closer, who asked him to sit around for several days to take them, and for his efforts he did not earn a lot. He was just paid wages for going to take them."

The images show Middleton, 30, topless while sunbathing on the terrace of a private house in France owned by the Queen's nephew Lord Linley.

"Officially the crime scene is the chateau and its environs. This will be visited by detectives who will then have to work out how the photographer came to be there - who alerted him to the presence of the royal couple and where he took the pictures from," a source said, according to News Track India.

Police are still trying to figure out the photographer's identity. They will interview as many witnesses as possible, which might include the staff of Linley's chateau, and also try to explain how the cameraman knew the location to take the shots, while hopefully finding traces of DNA along the way, the site reported.

A French court banned further distribution of the nude photos of Kate Middleton and ordered Closer, the French magazine to first print the scandelous photos, to hand over all the photos they published within 24 hours, according to ABC News. Though many have already been distributed, the court ruling included that no more copies of the magazine with Middleton's topless photos can be printed. The magazine will also face a $12,000 fine every time they defy the ruling.

A separate criminal investigation has been opened to look into charges that Closer and the photographer of the topless photos breached invasion of privacy rights of Middleton and Prince Harry by publishing the photos.