Tabloid wins initial court battle against UK royal Meghan

Tabloid wins initial court battle against UK royal Meghan

London's High Court on Friday threw out part of a claim brought by Meghan, Britain's Duchess of Sussex, against a tabloid newspaper for breaching her privacy, ruling that it had not acted dishonestly.

Lauren Anthony reports.

Britain's Duchess of Sussex lost the initial battle in her privacy action against a UK tabloid on Friday (May 1).

London's High Court threw out part of a claim brought by Meghan, who is the wife of Queen Elizabeth's grandson Prince Harry.

She is suing publisher Associated Newspapers over articles its Mail on Sunday tabloid printed last February, Which included parts of a letter she had sent her father, Thomas Markle in August 2018.

The paper's lawyer argued at a hearing last week that allegations it had acted dishonestly, and had stoked a rift between Meghan and her father should be removed from the case - along with references to other articles about the royal - which Meghan says were false.

The judge agreed that all three categories of allegation should be struck out.

Meghan's law firm said the ruling, quote, "makes very clear that the core elements of this case do not change and will continue to move forward." Lawyers for the duchess claim the publication of her letter was a misuse of private information, and a breach of her copyright.

They are seeking aggravated damages.

As part of their claim, they accused the Mail and other tabloids of harassing, humiliating, and manipulating Thomas Markle.

The paper rejected the allegation and said it was "remarkable" the claim had been made without the duchess having contacted Markle to see if he agreed.

The two haven't spoken since her glitzy wedding to Harry in May 2018.

The case will still go on to a full trial but no date for it has yet been set.