UK Judge Grants Anonymity of Meghan Markle’s Friends in Privacy Invasion Case

“Both sides have demonstrated an eagerness to play out the merits of their dispute in public, outside the courtroom, primarily in media reports," Warby said.

“That approach to litigation has little to do with enabling public scrutiny of the legal process, or enhancing the due administration of justice.”

Associated Newspapers, which is contesting the duchess's privacy-infringement claim, says it was Meghan’s friends who brought the letter into the public domain by describing it in the People article.

One told the magazine that the duchess had written: “Dad, I’m so heartbroken. I love you. I have one father. Please stop victimizing me through the media so we can repair our relationship.”

The publisher's lawyers argue that the information about the letter must have come “directly or indirectly” from Meghan.

They say Thomas Markle then revealed the letter to the Mail to correct the false impression Meghan’s friends had given about him to People.

Meghan's attorneys say the duchess was unaware her friends were speaking to the magazine.

They say the anonymous interviews were arranged by one of the five friends, who was concerned about the toll media criticism was taking on the duchess, pregnant at the time with her first child.

Mark Stephens, a media lawyer at London legal firm Howard Kennedy, said Wednesday's ruling was important because the case hinged on “whether or not Meghan, through her friends, curated an attack on Thomas Markle."

“If they did, he was entitled to respond by giving the letter or extracts of the letter to the Mail on Sunday,” Stephens said.

American actress Meghan Markle, star of TV legal drama “Suits,” married Harry, grandson of Queen Elizabeth II, in a lavish ceremony at Windsor Castle in May 2018. Their son, Archie, was born the following year.

In January, the couple announced they were quitting royal duties and moving to North America, citing what they said was unbearable intrusion and racist attitudes from the British media. They are currently based in the Los Angeles area. 

(Writer & Editor: Jill Lawless, Danica Kirka)

Source: https://apnews.com/3ab9b63c212295f2e3edb557a1986641