Meghan hasn't spoken to her father since wedding, court hears
24 April 2020, 12:16
Meghan Markle has not spoken to her father since she wedded Prince Harry in May 2018, a court has heard.
The revelation came as Duchess of Sussex's legal action against the Mail on Sunday gets underway at the High Court after it published parts of a "private and confidential" letter she sent to Thomas Markle.
The Duchess is seeking damages from Associated Newspapers, the publisher of MailOnline and the Mail on Sunday, after claiming the extracts of the handwritten message published in February 2019 breached copyright and privacy laws.
Associated Newspapers wholly denies the allegations - particularly the claim that the letter was edited in any way that changed its meaning - and says it will contest the case “with vigour”.
Meghan's lawyers say the letter to her estranged 75-year-old dad detailed intimate "thoughts and feelings" about his health and their relationship.
In one extract, she wrote: “Your actions have broken my heart into a million pieces - not simply because you have manufactured such unnecessary and unwarranted pain, but by making the choice to not tell the truth as you are puppeteered in this. Something I will never understand.”
At the preliminary hearing set to last until the end of today, the publisher’s lawyers will ask the court to strike out allegations of "dishonesty and malicious intent" from the duchess’ case.
Mr Justice Warby is sitting at the High Court, while all legal representatives and journalists are dialling in remotely. Meghan and Harry are expected to listen in from Los Angeles later.
The judge is set to determine a date for a full trial in due course.
Earlier this week, Meghan’s defence team surfaced texts she and Prince Harry sent to Mr Markle before their wedding.
Prince Harry wrote in one: "Oh any speaking to the press WILL backfire, trust me Tom. Only we can help u, as we have been trying from day 1”.
