The Duchess of Sussex felt “unprotected” by the royal family from claims made in the UK tabloid press against her while she was pregnant, court documents revealed.
Meghan’s claims were made in the latest submissions in her legal action against the publisher of Mail on Sunday and Mail Online, Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), about the publication of excerpts from a private handwritten letter she sent to her separated father, Thomas. Markle.
In legal documents, her lawyers said the duchess “had become the subject of a large number of false and damaging articles in the UK tabloid media, specifically the accused.” [ANL] which caused great emotional distress and damage to his mental health. “
“Since her friends had never seen her in this state before, they were justly concerned about her well-being, specifically because she was pregnant, unprotected by the institution, and prohibited from defending herself.”
Meghan is suing the newspaper group for misuse of private information, violation of data protection, and copyright infringement after excerpts published in February 2019 reproduced parts of the letter she sent in August 2018.
ANL has said that Markle shared the letter only after Meghan’s friends gave an interview to US People magazine, which she felt was vilified, and that she wanted to demonstrate that it was not the cute missive they had suggested.
In response, Meghan’s attorneys state that she did not know in advance that five friends had spoken anonymously to People magazine, and that she was distressed that one had mentioned the letter and had given an inaccurate account of its content.
It was “ordered” by Kensington Palace “that all the friends and family of [Meghan] It should say “no comment” when approaching any media, despite the misinformation being provided to UK tabloids about it, “the document says.
“This shared frustration among the plaintiff’s friends made everyone feel silenced, as it appeared that other alleged sources were able to spread false statements about the plaintiff, while people who knew her best were told to remain silent.
“The claimant believes that it is likely for this reason, as well as concerns about the intrusion of the press by UK tabloids, that some friends chose to participate and did so anonymously.”
Meghan did not know which of her friends had been involved “until long after the publication,” according to court documents.
She was said to have only discussed the content of the letter with her husband, Prince Harry, her mother, Doria Ragland, a friend, the Kensington Palace communications team and their lawyers. She had sent it through a trusted business manager to lessen the chances of it being intercepted.
The documents claim that Meghan denies blocking her father’s calls after she did not attend her wedding at Windsor Castle due to a heart condition or that she had changed her number. She is said to have tried to call him five times and sent him numerous text messages, which went unanswered after learning of his health problems. Her wedding to Harry is also claimed to have raised “tourism revenue of more than £ 1 billion.”
Last month, Judge Warby dismissed allegations that the publisher had acted “dishonestly” by omitting certain passages from the letter. He also rejected allegations that the publisher deliberately “sparked” problems between Meghan and her father, and that he had an “agenda” for posting intrusive or offensive stories about her.
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