London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Aug 02, 2025

Mail on Sunday defends publishing Meghan's letter to her father

Mail on Sunday defends publishing Meghan's letter to her father

The Mail on Sunday has argued there is a "huge and legitimate public interest" in the Royal Family and its "personal and family relationships", as it published its defence to a legal claim made by the Duchess of Sussex.

Meghan is suing the newspaper and its parent group for publishing a letter she wrote to her father in 2018.

Her claims include misuse of her private information, selective editing of the letter and breach of copyright.

The Mail on Sunday rejects all claims.

Evidence from the duchess's father, Thomas Markle, forms part of the paper's defence.

In what BBC royal correspondent Jonny Dymond described as a "very robust" response from the paper, it argued in a court document that members of the Royal Family, including Meghan, "rely on publicity about themselves and their lives in order to maintain the privileged positions they hold and promote themselves".

It said the duchess "did not have a reasonable expectation of privacy that the contents of the letter were private and would remain so".

"There is a huge and legitimate public interest in the Royal Family and the activities, conduct and standards of behaviour of its members," it said.

"This extends not merely to their public conduct, but to their personal and family relationships because those are integral to the proper functioning of the monarchy."

The 44-page legal filing by the Mail on Sunday aims to tackle the duchess' claims one by one:

Meghan claimed she had not courted publicity for her relationship with her father, but the paper says she has not denied authorising her friends to speak about it for an article in a US magazine
The duchess said publishing the letter breached her copyright, but the Mail on Sunday says it was not a protected "original literary work" but a recounting of existing facts
Meghan said it infringed her data rights, but the newspaper says the data was not sensitive and concerned topics she had put in the public domain
Accused of selective editing, the Mail on Sunday says the extracts it released accurately conveyed the tone, content and meaning of the letter
As evidence that it did not infringe her privacy, the paper says the letter was "immaculately copied" in Meghan's "elaborate handwriting", arguing that this care in its presentation meant she anticipated it would be seen and read by a wider audience.

It comes as the Royal Family seek to redefine the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's role after the pair issued a surprise statement last week expressing their wish to "step back as 'senior' members of the Royal Family".

The Queen, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge, and Prince Harry met at Sandringham on Monday to discuss the couple's future, but Meghan did not take part.

A palace official said "in the end it was decided by the Sussexes that it wasn't necessary for the duchess to join".


'Relentless propaganda'

In October, law firm Schillings, acting for the duchess, filed a High Court claim against the Mail on Sunday and its parent company Associated Newspapers over the alleged misuse of private information, infringement of copyright and breach of the Data Protection Act 2018.

At the time, Harry said he and his wife were forced to take action against "relentless propaganda".

Referring to his late mother Diana, Princess of Wales, he said: "I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same powerful forces."

The legal proceedings are being funded privately by the couple and any proceeds will be donated to an anti-bullying charity.

It is not the first time the royals have taken legal action against the press. In 2017, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were awarded £92,000 (100,000 euros) in damages after French magazine Closer printed topless pictures of the duchess in 2012.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
×