Mail on Sunday publishes front-page statement over Meghan’s court win

Mail on Sunday

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The Mail on Sunday has printed a statement on its front page acknowledging that the Duchess of Sussex won her copyright claim against the newspaper’s publisher. Meghan had sued Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), which is also the publisher of the MailOnline, over articles that reproduced parts of a “personal and private” letter to her father Thomas Markle, 77, in August 2018.

The first case was won without a full trial earlier this after a High Court judge ruled in her favour. Then an appeal was lodged by ANL who wished for a full trial to occur against Meghan’s claims against them.

The publisher’s lawyers argued that new evidence from Jason Knauf, former communications secretary to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, suggested Meghan wrote the letter with the understanding that it could be leaked.

But the challenge was dismissed by Court of Appeal judges in a ruling earlier this month.

A statement along the bottom of the front page of the Mail on Sunday on Boxing Day says: “The Duchess of Sussex wins her legal case for copyright infringement against Associated Newspapers for articles published in The Mail on Sunday and posted on Mail Online – SEE PAGE 3”

On page three, under the heading “The Duchess of Sussex”, it says: “Following a hearing on 19-20 January, 2021, and a further hearing on 5 May, 2021, the Court has given judgment for the Duchess of Sussex on her claim for copyright infringement.

“The Court found that Associated Newspapers infringed her copyright by publishing extracts of her handwritten letter to her father in The Mail on Sunday and on Mail Online.

“Financial remedies have been agreed.”

The ruling stating that a full-page apology in the Mail on Sunday was due to the Duchess was given in March. It had been put on hold until now to allow ANL time to appeal.


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Written by

Claire Gordon

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