Meghan Markle Is Suing a Tabloid for Publishing Her Private Letter
Meghan Markle is taking legal action against the tabloid Mail on Sunday for publishing one of her private letters, Prince Harry announced Tuesday, October 1, on the Sussex Official website.
A legal spokesperson representing the Duchess of Sussex offered some specific details on this case to Prince Harry, which were published in his statement:
“We have initiated legal proceedings against the Mail on Sunday, and its parent company Associated Newspapers, over the intrusive and unlawful publication of a private letter written by the Duchess of Sussex, which is part of a campaign by this media group to publish false and deliberately derogatory stories about her, as well as her husband. Given the refusal of Associated Newspapers to resolve this issue satisfactorily, we have issued proceedings to redress this breach of privacy, infringement of copyright and the aforementioned media agenda.”
It's not explicitly said in the statement what letter caused this lawsuit, but the Guardian reports it's one that Markle wrote to her estranged father, Thomas, after her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018.
In a lengthy statement, Prince Harry explained why he and Markle decided to sue Mail on Sunday. (It's rare for the royal family to give any sort of attention to the press, let alone take legal action. Here's a brief history of times they got lawyers involved.) The Duke of Sussex cited what happened to his mother, Princess Diana, as a big reason for going this route.
The Duke & Duchess Of Sussex Visit South Africa
"My deepest fear is history repeating itself," Prince Harry said. "I’ve seen what happens when someone I love is commoditized 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."
Prince Harry says the British tabloids operate under a "double standard" when it comes to Meghan Markle: The same outlets that wrote derogatory stories about her are the same ones who applauded her efforts in southern Africa last week. (She and Prince Harry are currently on a royal tour of the region.) "The positive coverage of the past week from these same publications exposes the double standards of this specific press pack that has vilified her almost daily for the past nine months; they have been able to create lie after lie at her expense simply because she has not been visible while on maternity leave," Prince Harry said. "She is the same woman she was a year ago on our wedding day, just as she is the same woman you’ve seen on this Africa tour."
He concluded his statement with, "We thank you, the public, for your continued support. It is hugely appreciated. Although it may not seem like it, we really need it."
This story is currently unfolding. We will update it with more information as it comes in.
Originally Appeared on Glamour
