Forget Kate's topless pics, these royals are the real rebels

From Harry's crown jewels to Fergie's foot fetish, here are a selection of royal gaffes.

(Getty Images)

With Kate Middleton’s topless pictures being rudely published by French magazine Closer today, we take a look back over some slightly more uncomfortable moments that have left the Queen blushing over the years.

Prince Harry’s Nazi outing

Clarence House were forced to issue a statement in 2005 in response to Prince Harry sporting a Nazi costume to a party. It read: “Prince Harry has apologised for any offence or embarrassment he has caused. He realises it was a poor choice of costume.”

The fancy dress theme was “colonial and native”. Harry heard “colossally Nazi.”

Prince Harry’s racist lingo

Prince Harry was filmed calling a fellow soldier his 'little Paki friend' in 2009. The third in line to the throne apologised after film footage emerged of him making the racist comment while training at Sandhurst military academy. Another video showed him describing another officer cadet a “rag-head”. When will you learn, Harry?

Prince Harry nude pics

Oops, Harry did it again. Only weeks ago our flame-haired prince was partying in Vegas, as he invited strangers to his hotel room for that classic game of strip billiards. One thing led to another, and nude pics of him were circulated around the world within days.

St James’s Palace asked British media organisations not to publish the pictures, but The Sun decided to flout this, to an avalanche of complaints to the Press Complaints Commission (PCC).

The Sun defended their actions by saying readers had a right to see the pictures, and furthermore that “we believe Harry has compromised his own privacy.”

The managing editor of The Sun, David Dinsmore, actually said it would have been “perverse” not to publish the pictures, for which the paper paid £10,000. Publishing nude pics of someone is not at all perverse though, apparently.

Prince William’s pricey ride

No, we’re not talking high-class hookers. In 2008 Prince William used a military Chinook helicopter to fly himself to a 72-hour stag party for his cousin Peter Phillips on the Isle of Wight, which cost £5,000 an hour.

Days later, he then landed a £10million RAF helicopter in girlfriend Kate Middleton's backyard during a military exercise.

The head of the RAF was said to have “erupted” with rage. Thankfully the lovely Kate has managed to quell those lavish tendencies of grandeur.

Fergie’s foot fetish

The Duchess of York, also known as 'Fergie', separated from Prince Andrew in 1992 after six years of marriage. Months later she was photographed sunbathing topless with her former financial adviser, John Bryan, who seemed to be sucking on her toes, as the Telegraph reported (although it was later confirmed he was just kissing them). Sales of toe-sucking porn were said to have gone through the roof.

Fergie’s lack of frugal

Sarah Ferguson was then caught on tape in 2010 offering an undercover News of the World reporter access to her former husband for £500,000. As she later told Oprah, Fergie was "in the gutter at that moment,” and did not have "a pot to piss in”. Just use the toilet, Fergie.

Edward’s mischievous pups

In 2008 Prince Edward was caught on camera apparently lashing out at his black Labrador. The RSPCA later said there was insufficient evidence to mount a prosecution. Eight years previous to this the Queen was also accused of cruelty after she was photographed wringing the neck of a pheasant at Sandringham. In her defence, she mistook it for a partridge in a pear tree, and she really hates that song.

Duke of Edinburgh’s stuffy stereotypes

Known for sticking his big royal foot in it, the Duke of Edinburgh has a collection of awkward statements:

1. During a state visit to China in 1986

“If you stay here much longer, you’ll all be slitty-eyed.”

2. During a visit to an electronics factory, Prince Philip saw a messy fuse box and said it looked “as though it was put in by an Indian”.

3. To an Aborigine in Australia

“Do you still throw spears at each other?”

4. To a driving instructor in Scotland

“How do you keep the natives off the booze long enough to pass the test.”

5. Referring to the Russian people when asked if he'd like to visit

“The bastards murdered half my family”

And a piece of history…

When the pope denied him permission to divorce his first wife, King Henry VIII broke his entire Tudor kingdom away from the Roman Catholic Church in 1534. He then appointed himself Supreme Head of the Church of England so he could marry Anne Boleyn.

However, it was obviously true love...he went on to have only four more wives.