Meghan and Harry earlier this year left frontline royal duties and moved to the United States.
London, United Kingdom:
Meghan Markle’s lawyers denied Monday that she and her husband, Prince Harry, had collaborated with the authors of a recent book about their life together.
The denial came as Associated Newspapers sought to change its defense against allegations that she had violated her privacy and copyright by posting excerpts from a letter she wrote to her father.
Former actress Markle became the Duchess of Sussex when she married Prince Harry in 2018. Earlier this year, the couple left frontline royal duties and moved to the United States.
At a hearing in the London High Court case, Associated, which publishes the Mail on Sunday weekly and the Mail Online website, asked to change its defense.
She claimed that she “cooperated with the authors of the recently published book” Finding Freedom “to put their version of certain events.”
Antony White, Associated representative, said the book looked “like it was written with their (Meghan and Harry’s) extensive cooperation”.
The news group wanted to allege that she “had made or permitted information to be provided directly or indirectly to the authors, and cooperated with them … including by giving or allowing them to receive information about the letter”.
He argues that it was justified to publish extracts from the letter in 2019 because five of Markle’s friends had spoken about it in an interview with the American magazine People.
But his legal team said parts of the letter in question and included in the book had been “removed” from the articles in dispute.
“The claimant and her husband did not collaborate with the authors on the book, they were not questioned for it, nor provided photographs to the authors of the book,” lawyer Justin Rushbrooke told the court.
The case is the most publicized of Harry and Meghan’s increasingly bitter war with the media, particularly the British tabloid press.
The court was told that the overall legal costs were estimated to be around ~ CHECK ~ 3 million ($ 3.8 million, 3.3 million euros) until the trial, which is due to start in January.
Harry and Meghan’s retirement in March came after reports she was deeply unhappy with life within the Royal Family and complaints of media intrusion.
The couple, who live with their young son, Archie, in California, recently signed an exclusive deal with streaming giant Netflix for an undisclosed amount.
They started a non-profit organization to promote education, mental health and wellness.
