Sun Defies Royal Warning, Runs Nude Harry Photos

Despite the fact that anyone from the UK could have gone to TMZ.com and seen the naked pictures of Prince Harry, the snaps were kept off British media websites and newspapers—until now. The Sun went ahead and published the photos, even though the royal family's lawyers specifically asked it not to. The paper likes Harry and "is NOT making any moral judgment" about his behavior, it explains. It simply believes "Sun readers have a right to see them." Why? Because the photos have sparked a debate about Harry's lifestyle, considering he officially represents Britain, and thus any Brits without Internet access could not fully take part in that conversation. "There is a clear public interest in publishing the Harry pictures, in order for the debate around them to be fully informed."

More on Harry:

• The prince was pictured hugging an also-naked woman … because he's so chivalrous. "He hugged her to cover her up. He went over to be the gentleman and said, 'I’ll shield you. I’ll protect you. I won’t let them see you,'" says a witness, adding, "She seemed to like that very much." We bet.
• Not surprisingly, Playgirl has now come a-knocking. The magazine wants Harry to pose for a centerfold, and though the publisher acknowledges that there's no way the prince would agree, he tells E!, "I think a million dollars is not out of the question."
• Harry might need to learn a little something about people with cameras … and Facebook. Before his trip to Vegas, the prince went to a private island for yet more partying, and pictures of the alcohol-fueled weekend were posted on the Facebook page of one of Harry's friends. Unfortunately, that Facebook page was not private—leading the Telegraph to publish the pictures, including one that appears to show Harry passed out in the sand.
• And there may be more pictures coming. A PR guru tells the AP two women, who claim to have been inside Harry's hotel room, approached him to sell more pictures and video of the prince. Though the PR guy didn't bite, he bets someone else will.

(More Prince Harry stories.)