Meghan Markle Wins Bid to Protect Anonymous Friends in Tabloid Court Case
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, has finally received a small win in her ongoing court case against Associated Newspapers.
A judge ruled Wednesday that five of the duchess's friends who anonymously spoke to People magazine defending Meghan's character amid the height of her personal battle with the British media will not have their identities revealed as part of the royal's ongoing tabloid court case. The judge handling the case, Mr. Justice Warby, said the duchess's friends will remain anonymous "for the time being at least." Though the names of the friends have been recorded in court, the latest ruling ensures that their identities will not be released to the public.
"The Duchess felt it was necessary to take this step to try and protect her friends—as any of us would—and we're glad this was clear," read a statement from Meghan's legal team. "We are happy that the Judge has agreed to protect these five individuals."
The win is part of a tumultuous court battle between Meghan and Associated Newspapers, which owns infamous British tabloids the Daily Mail, the Mail on Sunday, and MailOnline. The duchess has sued the media group for breach of privacy and copyright infringement after the Mail on Sunday published excerpts from a personal letter Meghan sent to her father in 2018.
According to previous legal documents obtained by HarpersBAZAAR.com, Meghan has fervently defended the right to her friends' privacy within the case and declared any need to reveal their identities as nothing more than an opportunity for "clickbait and commercial gain." The duchess continued to call the proposed action "vicious" and a "threat to their emotional and mental wellbeing."
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