Chi, the Italian gossip magazine that incurred the wrath of the royal family last September when it printed topless photos of a sunbathing Kate Middleton, is at it again — this time publishing the first photos to show the Duchess’ growing baby bump.

The photos were captured by a paparazzo during Kate and Will’s recent sojourn to the holiday island of Mustique.

The Sunday People was first to report the news of the photos’ existence, noting that it turned down an offer to view them “and, like the rest of the British media, will not publish them.”

One photo revealed ahead of the magazine’s Wednesday release date shows a bikini-clad Kate walking on the beach with her husband, an oh-so-slight bump mostly obscured by shadows.

Despite the comparatively benign nature of the photos, they were still intrusive enough to warrant a strongly worded statement from St James’s Palace.

“We are disappointed that photographs of the Duke and Duchess on a private holiday look likely to be published overseas,” a royal spokeswoman said. “This is a clear breach of the couple’s right to privacy.”

It was unclear, however, if the royal family planned to take legal action as they had following last year’s topless shots.

The Duchess, who is said to be due in July, is expected to make her second official public appearance since December’s pregnancy announcement on February 19th. It was speculated that she would use the opportunity to show off her baby bump for the first time.

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Here’s some food for thought: Is Kate Middleton a powerful woman?

No, according to BBC Radio’s 4’s first-ever Woman’s Hour top 100 list, which named the 100 most powerful women in the U.K. and noticeably passed over the Duchess of Cambridge, calling her “influential” but not “powerful.”

Surprisingly enough, Kate’s grandmother-in-law Queen Elizabeth took the top slot, followed by the U.K.’s Home Secretary Teresa May. Angela Ahrendts, the CEO of Burberry, Victoria Beckham, Adele, Stella McCartney and J.K. Rowling also nabbed spots in the top 100.

The list was compiled by a judging panel that included journalist Eve Pollard, conservative MP Priti Patel, Labour politician and peer Oona King (who recently competed on the British reality show Dancing on Ice) and crime novelist Val McDermid.

Speaking about the top 100 list, Pollard confessed the panel was aware of the controversy the mama-to-be’s omission would certainly cause:

“Inevitably not everyone will agree with our 100,” she admitted. “There are some omissions. For example, we had long debates about the Duchess of Cambridge.”

“Is she influential? Hugely. Is she powerful? Not yet,” the former newspaper editor added.

“Most women on our list have power because they have reached a place where they have control—of policy, of direction, of influence, of staff,” she explained. “The panel also included some women who have soft power—the ability to transform the way we think about ourselves.”

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The Duchess of Cambridge is due to give birth in July and could resume her royal duties as early as next month after recovering from her pregnancy sickness, aides said Monday.

The Duchess, 31, had a 12-week scan earlier this month showing that her unborn baby is in good health, prompting St. James’s Palace to announce the expected birth month.

It means that the Duchess was only about six weeks pregnant when she and the Duke were forced to disclose that she was pregnant during her hospital stay at the start of December. She is now thought to be 13 to 14 weeks into her pregnancy.

The Duchess was suffering from a severe form of pregnancy sickness called hyperemesis gravidarum, but has made such a good recovery that she is expected to resume a near-normal official workload from next month.

One insider said: “Although the nature of the Duchess’s condition is that it can come back, she is much better and, health permitting, she will be back doing public engagements in the next couple of months.”

Although the Duchess made a brief appearance at the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year awards before Christmas, she has not carried out a full day of engagements since her pregnancy was announced, and has stayed in the South East, close to her family, rather than spending time with the Duke at their remote farmhouse on Anglesey.

Bookmakers installed July 17, the Duchess of Cornwall’s birthday, as the favourite date for the baby to be born. But those who bet on twins have already lost their stake after the Palace confirmed that the Duchess was carrying only one baby.

A July birth is likely to provide a welcome boost to the economy, because it means that Britain’s favourite “brand” with foreigners, the Royal family, will feature prominently in news coverage as the tourist season gets into full swing.

Mark Di-Toro, of Visit Britain, said: “The challenge for 2013 is to maintain the momentum created last year by the Olympics and the Diamond Jubilee, and this will certainly help. The monarchy and Royal palaces are very much a part of the cultural heritage side of the tourism industry, which brings in pounds 4.5 billion every year and is the biggest sector within our tourist industry.

“So to have a royal baby arriving in the summer will be an opportunity to encourage people to visit places associated with the Duke and Duchess.”

Royal aides said the Duchess was expected to return to Anglesey in the next few weeks, but she is not expected to travel abroad either before or immediately after the birth.

The British hospital treating the former Kate Middleton admitted Wednesday it was victimized by a prank call in which information on her condition was given out to a woman impersonating Queen Elizabeth II.

King Edward VII’s hospital in London acknowledged that an Australian radio station made a hoax call to the hospital in the early hours Tuesday — and the hospital fell for it.

The 30-year-old Duchess of Cambridge is pregnant and is being treated at the hospital for severe morning sickness.

A woman using the often-mimicked voice of the monarch asked after the duchess’ health — and was told that Kate “hasn’t had any retching with me and she’s been sleeping on and off.”
“She’s sleeping at the moment and she has had an uneventful night. She’s been given some fluids. She’s stable at the moment,” the kindly nurse informed the supposed queen and Prince Charles on the station’s recording. A dog yaps in the background while the “queen” and her son talk about traveling to the hospital to check in on the patient.

“I would suggest that any time after 9 o’clock will be suitable to visit,” the nurse said. “We’ll be getting her freshened up.”

The hospital says the call had been transferred to a ward and the conversation was held with one of its nursing staff. Its telephone protocols are being reviewed, the hospital said in a statement.

The Australian station 2DayFM has placed the recording of the conversation on its website.

The duchess is spending her third day in the hospital while being treated for acute morning sickness.

Prince William visited his wife at the hospital for several hours on Tuesday, while media from around the world camped outside, seeking news on the royal pregnancy. Officials from St. James’s Palace have said the duchess was not yet 12 weeks pregnant.

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