Aussie mag to run Kate's bikini baby bump snaps

Kate Middleton's baby bump has been snapped in a bikini during a recent holiday.Photo / File

The royal family should be pleased about the photographs of the Duchess of Cambridge's baby bump being published, because the future queen looks happy and healthy after a rocky start to her pregnancy, says the editor of an Australian women's magazine.

Australian Woman's Day has joined Italian gossip magazine, Chi, in deciding to print the photos of Kate and William's recent Caribbean holiday, where Kate was snapped wearing a blue bikini and strolling on a beach, although St James's Palace issued a statement saying it was not happy.

Check out a preview of Chi's cover here.

Women's Day will run the photos in Monday's issue, which also features pictures of Kate's sister Pippa Middleton, who was holidaying with the royals on the island of Mustique, staying in an AU$8 million villa.

Editor of the weekly glossy mag, Fiona Connolly, has defended her decision to run the photos saying the UK press have a "gentleman's agreement'' with the royal family about what sort of photos will be published but this doesn't apply to Australia.

She says Australia is a lot more laid back as a nation than the British, especially when it comes to the beach.

Connolly believes the outcry now by St James's Palace is a bit hyper-sensitive.

"In this instance they are a beautiful set of photos.

"As a magazine that does publish photos of the royals, I am sensitive to the sort of pictures that shouldn't be published,'' she said, referring to the the 2012 topless shots that appeared in various magazines.

"These (current) photos were taken on a public beach, the Middletons were openly chatting to other holiday makers.

"They are certainly not photos that they would disapprove of - they are happy - and the fact that the last time we saw Kate looking really unwell, coming out of hospital and at a really tough time for her in her pregnancy - to see these photos where she's fit and healthy and really glowing is even more reason to celebrate.''

The couple are expecting their first child in July.

In December Kate was admitted to hospital with severe morning sickness, which pushed the couple to announce the pregnancy.

On news that Chi was publishing the photos St James's Palace issued a statement: "We are disappointed that photographs of the Duke and Duchess on a private holiday look likely to be published overseas.

"This is a clear breach of the couple's right to privacy.''

Connolly admitted the bidding for the photos between several of Australia's biggest selling weekly gossip magazines was "furious''.

Last year Britain's royal family launched legal action against French magazine Closer, over paparazzi pictures of Kate sunbaking in bikini bottoms on the balcony of a chateau in the South of France.

- AAP