Judge on Markle Lawsuit: a 'House of Cards' May Fall

Duchess of Sussex hits bump in complaint against Associated Newspapers Limited
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 30, 2020 12:18 PM CDT
Meghan Markle Hits Bump in Suit Against Tabloid Publisher
In this Sept. 12, 2019, file photo, Meghan Markle is seen on Oxford Street in London.   (Mark Large/Pool via AP, File)

Meghan Markle suffered an early loss this week in her lawsuit against a UK tabloid publisher. Variety reports that Associated Newspapers Limited, which puts out the Mail on Sunday and the Daily Mail, can use as part of its legal defense material from a behind-the-scenes book that ADL insists Markle cooperated with the authors on. Per the AP, the 39-year-old Duchess of Sussex filed her copyright infringement and breach of privacy complaint against the Mail on Sunday after she says it published, via five February 2019 articles, excerpts of a handwritten message she'd sent to her estranged father in 2018 after she married Prince Harry.

Although Markle says she had nothing to do with the newly published Finding Freedom, by American journalists Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, ANL says she did, and that therefore the content she claims is private is really now public information. Scobie said in a statement to the court that Markle wasn't involved at all with his tome, but Judge Francesca Kaye on Tuesday gave the OK to ANL to use the book in its defense argument. "It may be what it does not say rather than what it does say that might prove to be significant at trial," Kaye said. "If, as suggested, it's all a house of cards, it will quickly fall down at trial." The full trial regarding Markle's suit is set to start in January. (More Meghan Markle stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X