Is Jessica Mulroney one of the 'Five Friends' who defended Meghan Markle?
By the Duchess of Sussex's own admission, the "Five Friends" who defended her to People magazine are all "women and young mothers".
Their identities have never been revealed – and the Mail on Sunday's insistence on Thursday that it has "no intention" of exposing them suggests they are likely to remain anonymous for ever more.
But that has not stopped royal-watchers from engaging in a guessing game over who may have been involved in the article, which first revealed the existence of a handwritten letter from Meghan to her father, Thomas Markle Snr, that is now the subject of an increasingly acrimonious legal battle.
The only friend ever to have been named in court documents as trying to influence a story about Meghan is Jessica Mulroney.
The newspaper alleged that Mrs Mulroney – whose twins Brian and John and daughter Ivy were attendants at the Sussexes' wedding in 2018 – acted on the Duchess's behalf to ensure "a more favourable article was published".
Ms Mulroney, 40, a Canadian stylist and former TV star, wrote to Gina Nelthorpe-Cowne, her former commercial adviser, "putting pressure on her to withdraw or change statements" after she gave an interview to the newspaper, according to defence papers submitted by Associated Newspapers.
It further claimed the features editor complained about the intervention of Meghan's friend, with Prince Harry's then communications secretary, Jason Knauf, allegedly responding by saying he would ensure "this does not happen again".
The newspaper cited the example to suggest Meghan must have authorised the "Five Friends" to speak to People, thereby invading her own privacy.
The Duchess denies any advance knowledge of their co-operation with the magazine, while there is no suggestion that Mrs Mulroney was one of the quintet.
Yet matters have been complicated by the recent fall from grace of the woman Meghan once called her "sister" after she was accused of bullying a black Canadian lifestyle blogger.
Despite making three apologies, Mrs Mulroney, who is married to Ben Mulroney, son of the former Canadian prime minister Brian Mulroney, has seen her wedding show pulled from the screens, her future talk show appearances rescinded and her endorsement of a department store axed.
Only last summer, Mrs Mulroney defended Meghan after accusations of eco-hypocrisy over her private jet use, calling her critics "racist bullies".
But now the pair no longer appear on speaking terms, despite Mrs Mulroney having introduced the Duchess to Canadian high society while she was filming the legal drama Suits in Toronto.
It was widely reported that Meghan left her son Archie with Mrs Mulroney when she and Harry made a visit to the UK in March – but, since the racism scandal broke, insiders say they have had little contact, a development that could have implications for the forthcoming court case.
