MEGHAN Markle’s privacy battle over the publication of a letter she sent to her estranged dad will be heard at the High Court today.
The Duchess of Sussex launched legal action against Associated Newspapers, publisher of the Mail on Sunday and MailOnline, for its publication of the “private and confidential” note to her father Thomas Markle.
The letter was published in the Mail on Sunday in February last year after Meghan sent it to her 75-year-old dad in August 2018.
The headline on the article read: “Revealed: The letter showing true tragedy of Meghan’s rift with a father she says has ‘broken her heart into a million pieces’.”
The duchess is seeking damages from Associated Newspapers Ltd, the newspaper’s publisher and operator of the website, for alleged misuse of private information, copyright infringement and breach of the Data Protection Act.
Associated Newspapers wholly denies the allegations – particularly the claim that the letter was edited in any way that changed its meaning – and says it will hotly contest the case.
The High Court hearing, in front of Mr Justice Warby, is due to start at 10.30am today.
The preliminary hearing, which will be conducted remotely, is expected to see lawyers for Associated Newspapers ask the court to strike out parts of Meghan’s case ahead of a full trial of the issues.
The publisher’s legal team will argue that allegations of “dishonesty and malicious intent” made against it by the duchess should not form part of her case.
The legal action was announced in October last year in a highly personal statement, in which the Duke of Sussex accused some newspapers of a “ruthless campaign” against his wife.
Referencing his mother Diana, Princess of Wales, who was a tabloid newspaper staple and died in a Paris car crash while being pursued by paparazzi, Harry said: “My deepest fear is history repeating itself. I’ve seen what happens when someone I love is commoditised to the point that they are no longer treated or seen as a real person.
“I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same powerful forces.”
Mr Markle has claimed he felt pressured to share the letter after its contents were misrepresented in a magazine article.
In an interview with the Mail on Sunday, he said: “I have to defend myself. I only released parts of the letter because other parts were so painful. The letter didn’t seem loving to me. I found it hurtful.”
