Not satisfied with just having one of their staffers merely pose as a naked Prince Harry, as they did for today's paper, the U.K.'s Sun tabloid decided to go with the real-life princely flesh on their Friday frontpage, which, as they point out themselves you've probably "already seen on the Internet."

Update: Nick Sutton posted on TwitLonger what appears to be a fuller justification from the paper on their actions, saying they "believe Harry has compromised his own privacy" and  "printing the photos IS within the Press Complaints Commission's code, based on a previous PCC ruling in favour of a UK magazine which published pictures already widely seen online." They conclude that "it was vital for us to run them." 

Even though you've already seen it, here it is, coming via Nick Sutton of BBC Radio 4 who tweets regularly with the hashtag #tomorrowspaperstoday: 

The move defies royal officials, which did not want the scandalous images printed. According to The Sun's managing editor David Dinsmore this is about press freedom: 

"This is about the ludicrous situation where a picture can be seen by hundreds of millions of people around the world on the internet, but can’t be seen in the nation’s favourite paper read by 8 million people every day."

So it's not about being ballsy (so to speak) enough to print a photo that nearly reveals the Royal, well, you know? 

The BBC's Peter Hunt tweeted out the Royal reaction: 

St James's Palace response to SUNnaked Harry photo: We have made our views on P Harry's privacy known. Newspapers regulate themselves....

— Peter Hunt (@BBCPeterHunt) August 23, 2012

....so the publication of the photographs is ultimately a decision for editors to make."

— Peter Hunt (@BBCPeterHunt) August 23, 2012

More from St.James's Palace: We have no further comment to make either on the publication of the photographs or .... #princeharry #royal

— Peter Hunt (@BBCPeterHunt) August 23, 2012

..on the story itself concerning Prince Harry's private holiday in Las Vegas." #princeharry #royal

— Peter Hunt (@BBCPeterHunt) August 23, 2012

Dinsmore points out that over at The Sun they are also "big fans" of Harry and "are not against him letting his hair down once in a while." Or his pants, evidently. Meanwhile, BBC News dares to ask: "how normal is it for young people to take their clothes off when they have been drinking?"

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Esther Zuckerman