Meghan Markle admits giving own version of events to Finding Freedom informant
18 November 2020, 18:18
The Duchess of Sussex has admitted giving her own version of events to someone who later informed the authors of Finding Freedom.
According to court documents seen by the Telegraph, Meghan Markle said she was worried "her father's narrative"-claiming she abandoned him - would be continually used, so told someone her position on the matter so “the true position… could be communicated to the authors to prevent any further misrepresentation.”
The Duchess stressed that she herself did not speak to the authors, Omid Scobie or Carolyn Durand, but admitted that she does not know what - or if - someone from Kensington Palace provided information for her.
Read more: Meghan Markle 'helped by palace aides to write letter to father'
Meghan is currently suing Associated Newspapers Ltd (ANL), publisher of the Mail on Sunday and MailOnline, over an article which reproduced parts of the handwritten letter sent to her estranged father Thomas Markle in August 2018.
But the newspaper's lawyer argue that she breached her own privacy after she "permitted" details about her life to be shared with the authors of the bombshell book.
Meghan Markle opens up about the struggles of being in the public eye
It was earlier revealed that Meghan received help from Palace aides in writing the letter, after documents lodged with the High Court by ANL claim Jason Knauf "and/or" the Kensington Palace communications team "contributed" to a draft of the document.
At the time, Mr Knauf was the Duke of Sussex's communications secretary and, after holding the same post with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, is now chief executive of William and Kate's Royal Foundation.
The duchess, 39, claims the February 2019 publication of parts of the letter to her 76-year-old father was a misuse of her private information and breached the Data Protection Act, as well as a breach of her copyright.
Read more: Meghan and Harry 'personally recognise' Remembrance Sunday in America
The duchess is currently seeking damages from ANL for alleged misuse of private information, copyright infringement and breach of the Data Protection Act.
ANL wholly denies the allegations, particularly the duchess's claim the letter was edited in a way that changed its meaning, and says it will hotly contest the case.
Meghan is suing Associated Newspapers over five articles, two in the Mail on Sunday and three on MailOnline, which were published in February 2019.
A trail - scheduled to last 10 days - was supposed to take place in January but has been delayed for nine months on "confidential grounds".
