Harry & Meghan: Legal Actions against the Media

[Dman]

What I’ve seen from Harry and Meghan is their dedication to their roles as President and Vice President of The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust and to their royal patronage’s. They’ve been working very hard behind the scenes - especially Meghan. That woman conducted two royal tours while pregnant, she worked on her charitable projects while pregnant and worked throughout her maternity leave after Archie’s birth.

I’m looking forward to 2020 with hope and with prayer that the Sussexes will be able to have a prosperous the new year. I also hope the British press will leave their silliness, pettiness, sexist, misogynistic and racist attitudes on the alter and approach 2020 with some sense and allow the Duchess of Sussex to carry on with her duties as a wife, mother and senior royal without launching a campaign to assassinate her character and work.

 

[ACO]

The media did what they did and the law will settle it. Meghan doesn’t have to deal with their vileness. They made the right decision.

 

[Dman]

The media did what they did and the law will settle it. Meghan doesn’t have to deal with their vileness and the recent coverage of Stomyz shows nothing has changed. They made the right decision.

Amen. Meghan don’t have to put up with jack. The media stepped out of line and legal actions are being taken.

 

[Hallo girl]

I am not sure how much you know about the British media but this, to a large extent, is how certain factions operate. The phone hacking is in the past and a number of years ago there was a huge review of despicable practices and a few papers folded and heads rolled. Among those named as victims of hacking were William, Harry and in particular Kate Middleton. This has been legally dealt with and I see no reason for Harry to raise it again. Are the gutter press nice to Meghan. No. Are they nice to anyone. No. Have Meghan and Harry dealt with them particularly well. Again no they haven't and they have inflamed them. Racism is everywhere. It just is. Tragically. But in large part the ism being used against Meghan Markle is cultural. Her central trouble is that she does not understand the British press or people. Perfectly sensible people I know watched their documentary and said what are they doing? Are they having a breakdown? And to intents in the British media Harry, before the sabbatical, looked like he was having one. This six week break was I warrant for some serious breathing space. ...But he was born to this. He should be a support for Meghan in navigating it but he is crumbling. You live with the media gremlins. You manage them, you dance with them, you understand the sympathico. They will be nice to you. They will eat you...and tomorrow no one will remember. I mean the things they have done. They are practically castrated now. Who will remember what they said about you but people will remember what you said yourself and that you released a tirade against them, not that any of it was untrue, and you went on national television looking more than a little fragile... I mean everyone remembers Diana and Panorama. No one remembers what the papers said about her over the years...and they were less then kind.

In large part the letter debacle was brought on by Meghan because her friends, with her consent no doubt, mentioned it in an American article in support of her. The media then duly went sniffing. I mean that is their job and her father obliged. I mean he was talking to the media anyway. Why did she write the letter? She doesn't know what she is dealing with. I mean has Kate ever sanctioned the media to interview her friends? This is two people floundering and I for one am not laughing at them but concerned for them. To survive Meghan needs to become like them. She cannot change anything but unfortunately for her that may be a bit like dying inside. So I have concerns for them both...

This is an excellent well thought out balanced post.

 

[muriel]

Amen. Meghan don’t have to put up with jack.

I think it depends on whether she sees her future as a supporting member of the BRF or not. As a member of the BRF, you do need to carry the media with you, and develop a working relationship. A confrontational approach rarely works in this regard, IMO.

 

[Madame Verseau]

DM just did a hit piece on the Sussex Christmas card. The rag is raising questions about the picture being photoshopped.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...rkles-face-PHOTOSHOPPED-Christmas-e-card.html

And DM is wondering why it's being sued. No you don't take nonsense like this. To me DM is still sore about the lawsuit and sore about the support Meghan and Harry get in certain quarters.

 

[muriel]

DM just did a hit piece on the Sussex Christmas card. The rag is raising questions about the picture being photoshopped.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...rkles-face-PHOTOSHOPPED-Christmas-e-card.html

And DM is wondering why it's being sued. No you don't take nonsense like this. To me DM is still sore about the lawsuit and sore about the support Meghan and Harry get in certain quarters.

Do you see anything in that article that is worth suing the DM for?

To me, this is a classic case of where what should be a symbiotic working relationship breaks down. Given the tactics adopted by H&M, the media is free to publish articles like this, as they only raise questions in the mind of the reader rather than being slanderous.

 

[hel]

Do you see anything in that article that is worth suing the DM for?

To me, this is a classic case of where what should be a symbiotic working relationship breaks down. Given the tactics adopted by H&M, the media is free to publish articles like this, as they only raise questions in the mind of the reader rather than being slanderous.

Honestly, given that they appear to have photoshopped the picture of Meghan themselves, yeah, I'd wonder if they overstepped the copyright on the original photo.

In the photo on

https://twitter.com/x/status/1209241848411303941

, Meghan's face is not as in-focus as it is in the photo on the DM article.

 

[Ista]

Do you see anything in that article that is worth suing the DM for?

To me, this is a classic case of where what should be a symbiotic working relationship breaks down. Given the tactics adopted by H&M, the media is free to publish articles like this, as they only raise questions in the mind of the reader rather than being slanderous.

And, after reading what was actually written, what is being reported about is what others are saying on social media, and screenshots of some of those posts have been included.

There is absolutely no way to shut down negatively slanted coverage, so the best way to handle it is to avoid getting in a shoving match to begin with---too late for that, but at the minimum compounding the error can still be avoided.

 

[poppy7]

DM just did a hit piece on the Sussex Christmas card. The rag is raising questions about the picture being photoshopped.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...rkles-face-PHOTOSHOPPED-Christmas-e-card.html

And DM is wondering why it's being sued. No you don't take nonsense like this. To me DM is still sore about the lawsuit and sore about the support Meghan and Harry get in certain quarters.

This isn't a vendetta. This is who the Daily Mail are. For some laughs I would suggest you do some searches on the recent Matt Smith/ Lily James/Claire Foy debacle about who may have broken up, cheated, gotten together. They got about 500 useless articles about it in over 4 days and sent paps after them. Their response. Nothing.

This is who the Daily Mail are. I don't mean to dismiss what has been gutter journalism but Meghan and/or Harry are not singled out or special. They just provide stories. And unfortunately being a real life continuing family drama it is continuous. I mean I did laugh when they moaned because the papers said they had a brass bath and they hadn't. They say that stuff about everyone. Like I said my concern is for mental health, a marriage and a small child being raised in an emotionally chaotic environment. Which Harry undoubtedly was. I hope he doesn't make the same mistakes. There is shades of Diana there.

 

[Dman]

I think it depends on whether she sees her future as a supporting member of the BRF or not. As a member of the BRF, you do need to carry the media with you, and develop a working relationship. A confrontational approach rarely works in this regard, IMO.

She’s been doing that, Muriel. She has given them what they want: the nice pictures, a hint of glamour and sound bites while she’s on official engagements. While she’s doing her part, she got nothing but abuse back from them. Then they had the nerve to get upset at her for being strong enough to step up to the camera and say she’s not okay with the abuse and get upset at her husband for saying he’s not okay with the abuse.

She don’t have to conform to any of the abuse. It’s those who’s issuing the abuse that must stop and change. It’s not the other way around. 2020 can be better if the press learn to behave themselves and stop assassinating her character and just let her get on with whats required of her. She’s doing her part.

 

[Osipi]

Lets put it this way. The DM caters to a specific mindset of people that thrive on negativity, scandal, gossip and just plain invention pulled out of a hat. The sad part of it is that it actually works. People buy into it, can't live without it and to them, its *news* and they just keep coming back for more!!

The DM isn't going out of business any time soon. However, they cross a line at any point, its within the rights of those reported on to hire lawyers and take them to court. The lawyers know what they're doing in Harry and Meghan's case and I would imagine that the lawyers they've hired are pretty sharp ones. If the law didn't state that H&M had a legal case, they wouldn't be going to court. Simple.

 

[poppy7]

Lets put it this way. The DM caters to a specific mindset of people that thrive on negativity, scandal, gossip and just plain invention pulled out of a hat. The sad part of it is that it actually works. People buy into it, can't live without it and to them, its *news* and they just keep coming back for more!!

The DM isn't going out of business any time soon. However, they cross a line at any point, its within the rights of those reported on to hire lawyers and take them to court. The lawyers know what they're doing in Harry and Meghan's case and I would imagine that the lawyers they've hired are pretty sharp ones. If the law didn't state that H&M had a legal case, they wouldn't be going to court. Simple.

Well no they would. This is a civil case. They can do what they want and lawyers can similarly argue anything. Any good lawyer can find a point of law. It comes down to who has more.

She’s been doing that, Muriel. She has given them what they want: the nice pictures, a hint of glamour and sound bites while she’s on official engagements. While she’s doing her part, she got nothing but abuse back from them. Then they had the nerve to get upset at her for being strong enough to step up to the camera and say she’s not okay with the abuse and get upset at her husband for saying he’s not okay with the abuse.

She don’t have to conform to any of the abuse. It’s those who’s issuing the abuse that must stop and change. It’s not the other way around. 2020 can be better if the press learn to behave themselves and stop assassinating her character and just let her get on with whats required of her. She’s doing her part.

Well no actually they haven't. They have dealt with them badly. But I blame Harry for not using a lifetime of knowledge on the media for that and maybe Meghan for trying to control something she just does not understand.

 

[Zaira]

Copyright is tricky. You would need an expert and given it is British law. Case law. Most particularly the last few. How much was published? With whose consent? I actually don't think they will win this. Given her side mentioed the letter first. Where royals are on sure fire privacy cases is pictures taken on private property where the majority if not all their cases are taken.

You are posting and asking a lot of things that if you simply took the time to read this thread you would see these questions answered or discussed in detail.

 

[ACO]

Honestly, given that they appear to have photoshopped the picture of Meghan themselves, yeah, I'd wonder if they overstepped the copyright on the original photo.

In the photo on

https://twitter.com/x/status/1209241848411303941

, Meghan's face is not as in-focus as it is in the photo on the DM article.

It’s not even the actual picture. They took someone else’s picture and posted it. In fact AP took credit over the image. Janina took the picture. Are we in for another copyright infringement?

In their quest to be shady they sure act foolish.

 

[Osipi]

Well no actually they haven't. They have dealt with them badly. But I blame Harry for not using a lifetime of knowledge on the media for that and maybe Meghan for trying to control something she just does not understand.

When we stop to think about this, there is also an underlining purpose behind this lawsuit against the Mail on Sunday. It could be seen as Harry and Meghan taking action for a purpose and its not just Harry and Meghan getting justice for a wrongdoing by the MoS.

When the lawsuit against the MoS was announced, it was also stated that should H&M win their case, the monies would be donated to an anti-bullying campaign. With this lawsuit, Harry and Meghan are also standing up for a principle that puts into the minds of us all that bullying, no matter who is the bully, is *not* acceptable.

For me, this is a message that stands out in big, bold "red top" letters like many tabloids like to use to call attention to their latest "scoop". Win or lose, Harry and Meghan have gotten that message out there. Stand up, fight back and say "no more" to bullying.

 

[poppy7]

You are posting and asking a lot of things that if you simply took the time to read this thread you would see these questions answered or discussed in detail.

It is tricky. Like I said. We don't know the story or the details. So we are guessing. And I am not a British copyright lawyer or neither to my knowledge is anyone else.

 

[Dman]

Well no actually they haven't. They have dealt with them badly. But I blame Harry for not using a lifetime of knowledge on the media for that and maybe Meghan for trying to control something she just does not understand.

Harry had his run-in with the media back in the day, but his relationship with the media improved with time. He’s had a good professional working relationship with them and everything was good. When the media got wind of his relationship with a black American and actress, the media lost it’s mind. Them losing it is what caused Harry to release his first letter and them losing it leading up to the wedding and after that Oceanic tour and then after the birth of his son, is what was caused Harry to release his second letter.

Harry is witnessing first hand of the media abusing his family because they find it in themselves to accept who he married. That’s has got to hurt him in ways that most folks can’t seem to understand. It has got to hurt even more when folks are telling him and his wife to just accept the abuse for the sake of peace with the media.

 

[poppy7]

Harry had his run-in with the media back in the day, but his relationship with the media improved with time. He’s had a good professional working relationship with them and everything was good. When the media got wind of his relationship with a black American and actress, the media lost it’s mind. Them losing it is what caused Harry to release his first letter and them losing it leading up to the wedding and after that Oceanic tour and then after the birth of his son, is what was caused Harry to release his second letter.

Harry is witnessing first hand of the media abusing his family because they find it in themselves to accept who he married. That’s has got to hurt him in ways that most folks can’t seem to understand. It has got to hurt even more when folks are telling him and his wife to just accept the abuse for the sake of peace with the media.

I think we will have to agree to disagree. I see a more complex push and pull scenario and disagree with how Meghan and Harry are choosing to deal with it.

And Osipi too. It is a similar thing. I just don't think this is about bullying . That they are bullying. I completely agree. But it is more the bullying wailing of a tanturming child. And the response is not. What. What do you want? Ringing hands in exasperation. It is to calmly walk away and go whatever talk to me when you are calm because this is a dynamic that becomes toxic very quickly and the media will keep pushing as long as it works for them. And it is toxic.

 

[soapstar]

The discussion isn’t about the Sussex Christmas card, so let’s please move away from that topic.

Comments accusing the British media of being negative towards Meghan because they see her as a threat to the British Monarchy, have been deleted. I understand people feel strongly about the way Meghan has been treated by some in the media, but let's just dial it back a little.

Comments discussing Harry’s mental state have been deleted. We have no idea what Harry is going through right now, so let’s be careful about trying to diagnose his mental health.

 

[LadyGlendower]

Well, no one is talking about this little ripple anymore, it seems.

It will be interesting to see what happens re trial or settlement now. Plaintiffs living in Windsor being seen showing devotion to the newspaper reading public are one thing. Plaintiffs that have moved across the pond hitting Disney red carpets are something else. I have no doubt the Sussexes prevail on the merits of their case but they may have lost some major ground in the pr battle this week and that may impact settlement negotiations (if such are going on).

 

[DuchessMia]

Well, no one is talking about this little ripple anymore, it seems.

It will be interesting to see what happens re trial or settlement now. Plaintiffs living in Windsor being seen showing devotion to the newspaper reading public are one thing. Plaintiffs that have moved across the pond hitting Disney red carpets are something else. I have no doubt the Sussexes prevail on the merits of their case but they may have lost some major ground in the pr battle this week and that may impact settlement negotiations (if such are going on).

How have they lost ground? This isn’t a PR battle. It’s a legal suit. Where the Sussexes live will have not any bearing on their case. William & Kate live in the UK, but their suit against the French photographer and Closer proceeded unimpeded. The legal arguments haven’t changed. The things done to them in the past haven’t suddenly changed. If anything, the continued misrepresentations of the current situation would lend credence to the argument that the press lies about them to create/increase the negative narrative about them. That narrative put Harry, Meghan and their child at risk. That’s the crux of their lawsuit.

 

[LadyGlendower]

Of course it is a lawsuit. But settlements are all about leverage and negotiation. Copyright infringement is black and white and an easy legal call. Damages are an entirely different thing. Everything they do as plaintiffs regarding the press is up for discussion. Putting out in a very public and documented way that your desire is to absolutely control your press coverage when you have a pending lawsuit against the press? I would not have opened that door.

And misrepresentations and narratives and risks are not as easy to prove as a newspaper publishing something that they had no right to under copyright law. That's what makes civil law with its assessment of damages so interesting.

 

[Osipi]

Well, no one is talking about this little ripple anymore, it seems.

It will be interesting to see what happens re trial or settlement now. Plaintiffs living in Windsor being seen showing devotion to the newspaper reading public are one thing. Plaintiffs that have moved across the pond hitting Disney red carpets are something else. I have no doubt the Sussexes prevail on the merits of their case but they may have lost some major ground in the pr battle this week and that may impact settlement negotiations (if such are going on).

It also could be construed that the ongoing treatment and harassment and attacks against the Sussexes contributed to the emotional and mental stress which resulted in a major move away from the stress factors (ie their job, their residence, their family). How they are currently living their life and where it is being lived at will not make a difference.

Two ways of looking at everything. ?

 

[LadyGlendower]

How they are living their life and where will definitely make a difference in the hands of skillful lawyers. Remember, assessing damages is not the part where they are talking about if an offense happened, it is the part where they determine how much that offense has truly damaged the plaintiff (if this goes to trial). This is why I now believe this lawsuit will be settled, and quickly and quietly because the money could prove useful from a PR standpoint if they use all of it to fund a charity or initiative.

 

[soapstar]

Thomas Markle is set to testify and he's given lawyers unseen text message between him and Meghan.

Mr Markle, 75, has given lawyers previously unseen text messages sent in the build-up to Meghan's wedding to Prince Harry that reveal the breakdown of the relationship between father and daughter.

Some of the messages were detailed yesterday in defence papers filed at the High Court in London.

The documents say that after Mr Markle messaged his daughter saying he couldn't come to her wedding because he had been rushed to hospital for emergency heart surgery and told not to fly on health grounds, he received a text that appeared to be from Prince Harry.

The message admonished him, accused him of causing hurt to his daughter and did not ask about his health. It left Mr Markle 'deeply hurt’.

In return, Mr Markle wrote: 'I've done nothing to hurt you Meghan or anyone else … I'm sorry my heart attack is … any inconvenience for you.’

Source

Another article from the Telegraph.

The Duchess of Sussex’s father is prepared to testify against her over a claim that a tabloid newspaper unlawfully published one of her private letters to him.

Legal documents seen by The Telegraph have confirmed that Thomas Markle’s evidence will form part of the Mail on Sunday’s defence against the Duchess’s legal action for breach of privacy, copyright and data protection.

The court papers disclose text messages sent from Mr Markle to his daughter and lay bare the deteriorating relationship between the pair at the time of her wedding to Prince Harry.

Source

 

[poppy7]

Thomas Markle is set to testify and he's given lawyers unseen text message between him and Meghan.



Another article from the Telegraph.

Well that is the worst possible outcome from the Sussexes. Madness and I am fast using respect for them to be honest.

 

[Zaira]

Well that is the worst possible outcome from the Sussexes. Madness and I am fast using respect for them to be honest.

Because...her father betrayed her and then constantly lied about her to the press? And the press then used him to bully her?

Reading through this it is IMO very clear they do not have much of a defense against the copy right charge. Their strategy seems to hang (and not irrationally at that) on using her dad to manipulate Meghan yet again. They want her to drop this before it goes to trial and are using her dad to do so.

Its not dumb by any means. Its gross, but probably smart public defense strategy.

I am sure Meghan's lawyers will fight some of the MoS overreaching requests for production as well. And Meghan will issue some broad and damaging ones to the MoS.

Also interesting that the stories try to elide over the fact that Meghan tried multiple times to call her dad only for her dad to call TMZ instead during the run up to the wedding.

 

[poppy7]

Because...her father betrayed her and then constantly lied about her to the press? And the press then used him to bully her?

Reading through this it is IMO very clear they do not have much of a defense against the copy right charge. Their strategy seems to hang (and not irrationally at that) on using her dad to manipulate Meghan yet again. They want her to drop this before it goes to trial and are using her dad to do so.

Its not dumb by any means. Its gross, but probably smart public defense strategy.

I am sure Meghan's lawyers will fight some of the MoS overreaching requests for production as well. And Meghan will issue some broad and damaging ones to the MoS.

Also interesting that the stories try to elide over the fact that Meghan tried multiple times to call her dad only for her dad to call TMZ instead during the run up to the wedding.

We don't know anything about their relationshIP. The worst thing that could happen to Meghan is for this to go trial. Insanely, give the DM are trash, they will also be left with egg on their face if they settle now. Because everyone will know why. Win win for DM. Lose, lose for Meghan and Harry.

 

[ACO]

Meghan didn't name her father but he seems to be assisting the Mail on Sunday. He also exposing his own lies. He flat out said she ghosted him and never contacted him after the wedding. Yet here he has texts? And also he told TMZ Meghan called him in the hospital and said she wasn't upset and just wanted him to get better.

Thomas has 872677678 versions of his truth. Meghan knows her father but I bet if pushed she probably wouldn't be against exposing him completely. I am already seeing people pull of all his contradictory statements. He had many conversations with TMZ who record everything. He had like 3 interviews on GMB. He is literally on record.

So yes this will be very interesting to watch play out. But the most telling thing is that he is giving all these letters and texts to a tabloid who loves to attack his daughter. Then he has the nerve to say he doesn't understand why she does not talk to him.

Really?