Kate Middleton and Prince William skip friend's wedding after topless photo leak

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been lying low since returning from their Diamond Jubilee tour last week

Kate Middleton and Prince William were noticeably absent at the wedding of one of Kate Middleton's oldest friends in her home village of Bucklebury, Berkshire over the weekend.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been lying low since the end of their Diamond Jubilee tour, when topless photos of Kate Middleton were published in a French magazine, and it seems not even a pal's nuptials could tempt them out for the day.

READ: KATE MIDDLETON AND PRINCE WILLIAM TO START A FAMILY AFTER SUCCESSFUL JUBILEE TOUR?

Mary Bucknell, who attended the same brownie group as Kate Middleton, married Royal Marines Captain Simon Cox in a small ceremony at a village church on Saturday.

Kate's mother Carole Middleton and sister Pippa Middleton were both in attendance, with Pippa stepping out in a navy lace dress by Dannii Minogue's dress label Project D.

But despite onlookers turning up to catch a glimpse of Prince William and Kate Middleton, the royal couple were nowhere to be seen.

‘We were expecting Kate and William to turn up, especially after Simon and Mary were invited to their wedding,' one onlooker told the Daily Mail.

‘But I had a word with the bride’s mother and she said Kate couldn’t make it, although Michael, Carole and Pippa were there.’

The royal couple have gone to ground since returning home from their Diamond Jubilee tour, after Kate Middleton topless photos were published in French Closer.

The couple have already taken legal action against the title, but two more magazine's have since followed suit.

Last week it was revealed the photographer who took the offending photos was British, but it's not yet known whether William and Kate will peruse legal action against him.

Should the royal couple take legal action against the British photographer who took the topless Kate Middleton photos? Let us know your thoughts in the box below…

READ: KATE MIDDLETON AND PRINCE WILLIAM TO START A FAMILY AFTER SUCCESSFUL JUBILEE TOUR?

KATE MIDDLETON TOPLESS PHOTOS TAKEN BY BRITISH PHOTOGRAPHER

WILLIAM AND KATE'S JUBILEE TOUR ALBUM

LATEST CELEBRITY NEWS