‘Royals in nude shock horror’

Press, 27 February 1984, Page 10

‘Royals in nude shock horror’

NZPA-AAP London Katie Rabett, the model said to be Prince Andrew’s latest girlfriend, is pictured in nude poses in this weekend’s “News of the World.” Under the headline, “It’s a hoot! Andy’s Katie laughs at nude pictures,” the newspaper uses the photos on pages one and three. Miss Rabett, aged 23, is also shown wearing a skimpy slip. The newspaper, one of Fleet Street’s more sensational, quotes Miss Rabett’s father as saying, “I’m not worried and I don’t give a hoot Katie doesn’t give a hoot either. You can see sights like this on any beach. In these days, what does it matter anyway?” The photographer who took the photos, Mr Phil Lindsay, said they were taken for part of Miss Rabett's modelling portfolio. “She has no inhibitions about undressing. She has a beautiful body and I knew it would photograph well,” he said. Miss Rabett and her family were considering legal action over the publication of the pictures, according to the “Sunday Express.” The “Express” said the “News of the World” paid about $32,700 for the pictures. Later Miss Rabett said the two nude photographs of her were “definitely fakes.” “If I had had a nude photograph taken of me professionally I would have done a lot more and made a fortune out of it, but I never wanted to do this type of work.” Miss Rabett added that she was asked to take a starring role in the remake of a film of Fanny Hill with Shelley Winters but turned it down because it would have meant nude shots being taken. A “News of the World” spokesman said he was “amazed” at Miss Rabett’s denial. “We have a set of 94 pictures taken from the original colour negatives,” he said. “The pictures include Katie in a camisole, legshots, and some completely nude shots. “We had no reason to believe they are not her and are confident they are her. There are reels of film, original colour negatives.” The newspaper had not re-touched the photographs, he added. The three pictures printed are in soft focus, with poses and shadow used to prevent them being really explicit. Meanwhile, the “The Mail on Sunday” takes a sceptical look at Prince Andrew’s purported romance with Miss Rabett. In a story headlined “Is the Rabett a red herring?” the newspaper suggests they are “just good friends.” According to “seasoned Buckingham Palace watchers,” the Prince’s real girlfriend is yet another model, Miss Clare Park, aged 27. The “Mail” report says, “Clare and the Prince both want to keep their romance quiet. If Andrew is gaining sweet revenge for all the times photographers messed up his dates with Koo Stark, then he is making a lot of people rich and famous.”