Judge asks UK newspaper to print front-page statement after Meghan Markle's privacy win
The website has also been asked to publish the statement 'for a period of one week'.
By PTI | Updated:
AFP
LONDON: A UK judge ruled on Friday that the 'Mail on Sunday' must publish a front-page statement about Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, winning her privacy claim against the newspaper's publishers Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) over articles that published extracts of a letter to her estranged father.
Lord Justice Mark Warby said in his High Court ruling the newspaper must print a single statement on the front page, referring readers to a further statement on page three. The 'MailOnline' website must also publish the statement "for a period of one week".
"The defendant [ANL] devoted a very considerable amount of space to the infringing articles, which it continued to publish for over two years," the ruling notes.
"It has devoted a very considerable number of further column inches, and many hundreds if not thousands of words, to coverage of earlier stages of this litigation and commentary upon them. The wording sought is modest by comparison and factual in nature," it reads.
Last month, Markle won her privacy claim and most of her copyright claim as the judge ruled the letter to her father Thomas Markle was "personal and private" and the 39-year-old former American actress and the wife of Prince Harry had a "reasonable expectation that the contents of the letter would remain private".
ANL lawyers applied for permission to appeal earlier this week, which was refused. They may decide to pursue the appeal through the Court of Appeal.
Although the High Court judge found the publication of the letter infringed Meghan Markle's copyright, there will still be a trial to decide whether she is the exclusive owner of copyright in all parts of the letter.
There will also be further hearings to determine whether the Duchess of Sussex, now based in the US and expecting her second child with Prince Harry - Duke of Sussex, is entitled to any profits or financial remedies relating to her claim.
She had brought a case in the High Court in England of breach of copyright, infringement of her privacy, and breaches of the Data Protection Act over articles which showed parts of a letter she had written to her 76-year-old father in August 2018.
Parts of the exchange between the father and daughter during a strained relationship were published in the newspaper and online in February 2019.
On winning a summary judgment in the case last month, she said in a statement that she was grateful to the courts for holding to account "illegal and dehumanising practices".
Lord Justice Mark Warby said in his High Court ruling the newspaper must print a single statement on the front page, referring readers to a further statement on page three. The 'MailOnline' website must also publish the statement "for a period of one week".
"The defendant [ANL] devoted a very considerable amount of space to the infringing articles, which it continued to publish for over two years," the ruling notes.
"It has devoted a very considerable number of further column inches, and many hundreds if not thousands of words, to coverage of earlier stages of this litigation and commentary upon them. The wording sought is modest by comparison and factual in nature," it reads.
Last month, Markle won her privacy claim and most of her copyright claim as the judge ruled the letter to her father Thomas Markle was "personal and private" and the 39-year-old former American actress and the wife of Prince Harry had a "reasonable expectation that the contents of the letter would remain private".
ANL lawyers applied for permission to appeal earlier this week, which was refused. They may decide to pursue the appeal through the Court of Appeal.
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Although the High Court judge found the publication of the letter infringed Meghan Markle's copyright, there will still be a trial to decide whether she is the exclusive owner of copyright in all parts of the letter.
There will also be further hearings to determine whether the Duchess of Sussex, now based in the US and expecting her second child with Prince Harry - Duke of Sussex, is entitled to any profits or financial remedies relating to her claim.
She had brought a case in the High Court in England of breach of copyright, infringement of her privacy, and breaches of the Data Protection Act over articles which showed parts of a letter she had written to her 76-year-old father in August 2018.
Parts of the exchange between the father and daughter during a strained relationship were published in the newspaper and online in February 2019.
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On winning a summary judgment in the case last month, she said in a statement that she was grateful to the courts for holding to account "illegal and dehumanising practices".
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are reportedly taking legal action against two tabloids for phone hacking and the unauthorised publication of a private letter. A look at other royals who battled it out with the media.
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