Meghan Markle Devastation: Duchess Receives Bad News Amid Legal Troubles
Meghan Markle suffered another defeat as her court battle against British tabloids continues.
The Duchess of Sussex has just lost the first part of her lawsuit against Associated Newspapers. This is after the London High Court demanded to strike out part of her privacy case.
As a result, the former Hollywood actress had to pay $88,000 (£67,000) in legal fees as part of their agreement, according to Daily Mirror.
The legal action came after the runaway royal sued the publication for invasion of privacy and copyright infringement. Mail on Sunday and MailOnline, both under Associated Newspapers, reproduced parts of Meghan's handwritten letter sent to her estranged father Thomas Markle months after her royal wedding with Prince Harry in May 2018.
Her legal counsel stated that the action done by the publications was merely to satisfy their readers' "curiosity." Markle's camp also accused the British tabloids of publishing "false" and "derogatory stories about her."
Meanwhile, a spokesperson from the newspapers said that they stand by their reporting while slamming the ex-royal's statement.
"The Mail on Sunday stands by the story it published and will be defending this case vigorously. Specifically, we categorically deny that the Duchess's letter was edited in any way that changed its meaning," the representative said.
Meghan Markle Keeping Friends' Identity Amid Lawsuit Battle
Aside from her recent lawsuit update, Duchess Meghan is also waiting for the court's decision to keep the identities of her five friends anonymous. The said friends gave an anonymous interview to People magazine regarding the former royal's relationship with her father.
The Duchess of Sussex's legal team attended the High Court in London earlier this week and argued that Meghan's friends have the right to not disclose their names as part of confidential journalistic sources and the protection of their privacy.
"To force the claimant, as the defendant urges this court to do, to disclose their identities to the public at this stage would be to exact an unacceptably high price for pursuing her claim for invasion of privacy against the defendant in respect of its disclosure of the letter," Meghan's representative Justice Warby stated.
The controversial article published on February 2019 titled "Meghan Markle's Best Friends Break Their Silence: 'We Want to Speak the Truth" shared interviews from five people who were described as "an essential part of Meghan's inner circle." The said group opened up to set the record straight regarding Meghan's experience with the royal family and her falling out with her father.
"As for Meghan's father, who has said he can't reach Meghan, he knows how to get in touch with her," said one longtime friend of Meghan. "He's never called; he's never texted. It's super-painful."
Megha Markle Clueless About Her Friends Interview with People Magazine
For what it's worth, the 38-year-old duchess insisted that she had no clue that her friends had spoken to People to give their side of the story.
To clear things out, the five women might be invited to High Court next year to testify in Meghan's privacy trial against the British tabloids.
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