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Duchess Meghan Wins Privacy Claim Against U.K. Tabloid

A close-up photo of Meghan Markle from the neck up. Her black hair is tied back though a few strands dangle around her face.
Meghan Markle; Photo by Alan Fraser Images/Shutterstock.com

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Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, has won her privacy lawsuit against Associated Newspapers, who publish The Mail on Sunday and MailOnline. (Cue the cheers!)

A High Court judge has found the publication of a private letter the Duchess sent to her estranged father Thomas Markle in the lead-up to her wedding to Prince Harry in May 2018, was "manifestly excessive and hence unlawful".

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Her lawyers successfully argued the printing of the letter was a misuse of private information and a breach of copyright. Or as they put it - a "triple-barelled" assault on "her private life, her family life and her correspondence."

The ruling means she won't be put through the rigmarole of a very public trial, which would pit her against her dad. And it also means she's in a position to request damages from the two outlets.

"After two long years of pursuing litigation, I am grateful to the courts for holding Associated Newspapers and The Mail on Sunday to account for their illegal and dehumanising practices," she said in a statement after the ruling.

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"These tactics (and those of their sister publications Mail Online and the Daily Mail) are not new; in fact, they've been going on for far too long without consequence. For these outlets, it's a game. For me and so many others, it's real life, real relationships, and very real sadness," the Duchess continues.

"The damage they have done and continue to do runs deep."

Meghan also expressed her gratitude toward the ruling and emphasised the importance of "reliable, fact-checked, high-quality news."

"I share this victory with each of you - because we all deserve justice and truth, and we all deserve better."

Yes. We. Do

The paper says it's considering an appeal.

Here's Meghan's statement in full below, as shared by royal reporter Omid Scobie on Twitter:

(Feature Image Credit: Alan Fraser Images/Shutterstock.com)

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