Taking After Princess Diana
Meghan is taking a page out of Princess Diana’s book as she faces a massive legal battle against British tabloids. According to the official website of the 5RB law firm, the Duchess has decided to hire David Sherborne to be her legal representative in the lawsuit she filed against the publisher of the Mail on Sunday.
Sherborne has been known to take on cases from high-profile celebrities, including Meghan’s late mother-in-law Princess Diana. He also handled the legal battles of several British celebrities like Elton John, Harry Styles, and power couple David and Victoria Beckham.
In a statement describing Sherborne’s official profile, it confirmed that Meghan has indeed hired the hot-shot lawyer.
“He is also acting for HRH The Duchess of Sussex in her misuse of private information, breach of data protection, and infringement of copyright action against Associated Newspapers,” the staement said.
Meghan sued Mail On Sunday and its publisher for publishing excerpts of her private letters to her father in 2018. The Duchess of Sussex claimed that the publication maliciously published the letter with the sole intent to malign her and manipulate the readers’ opinion of her.
According to her lawyer, the act is a clear violation of copyright, privacy, and data protection laws enforced in the United Kingdom.
The intense scrutiny that both Meghan Markle and Prince Harry got from British tabloids was one of the driving factors that led the couple to their decision to resign as senior members of the royal family.
While they are trying to start a new life in Los Angeles, away from the eagle-eyed British media, Meghan decided to continue her case against them. With the help of the lawyer who represented the late Princess Diana, Markle is hopeful that she will win the case.
Finally, she would be able to leave a strong statement for the British media to take. She may not be born in royalty, but she definitely deserves a spot in the Palace.
Taking A Stand
While in quarantine in their home in Los Angeles, Harry and Meghan’s legal representative have been acting on their behalf. They have recently released an open letter from the Sussexes saying that Harry and Meghan will no longer engage with chosen British media organizations.
The list includes “The Sun,” “Mirror,” “Daily Mail,” and “Express.” The statement claimed that these publications have been described to have a certain style of reporting that made the royal couple uncomfortable.
However, the law firm representing Meghan and Harry also clarified that the statement they are making is not that the couple is trying to avoid criticism. Rather, it was about giving themselves protection from those who want to harass them.
“This policy is not about avoiding criticism. It’s not about shutting down public conversation or censoring accurate reporting,” the couple wrote in their letter.
They also emphasized they understand that the media are free to express their opinion of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. However, they are hopeful that it would be based solely on the truth.
“Media have every right to report on and indeed have an opinion on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, good or bad. But it can’t be based on a lie,” the statement from their reps furthered.
According to a source close to the Sussexes, should Meghan win the case, she intends to donate the damages that will be collected from the lawsuit to a charity organization pushing for the anti0bullying cause.