Publisher appealing ruling it invaded Meghan Markle’s privacy

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British publisher Associated Newspapers announced on Tuesday that it plans to appeal a judge’s decision that it had invaded the privacy of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex after it published parts of a letter she had written to her father Thomas Markle.

High Court Judge Mark Warby ruled in February that Associated Newspapers had improperly used Markle’s private information and had infringed on her copyright by publishing five articles that included portions of her letter through The Mail on Sunday and the MailOnline website.

The publisher had indicated at the time of Warby’s ruling that it was considering an appeal, saying it was “very surprised” by the judge’s decision.

As The Associated Press reports, Associated Newspapers’ lawyer Antony White has sought permission to file an appeal. White reportedly said that overturning Warby’s decision “would have a real prospect of success.”

The former Meghan Markle’s lawyers have demanded that copies of the letter be handed over and any electronic copies be destroyed, the AP notes. The lawyers also demanded the removal of the five articles from the MailOnline website and the publication of a front page statement on her legal victory.

“The defendant has failed to deliver up copies it has of the letter such that the threat to infringe and further to misuse her private information remains real and, inexplicably, the defendant has still not removed the infringing articles from MailOnline,” Ian Mills, one of Meghan’s attorneys, said in a statement.

In February it was also confirmed that Meghan and her husband Prince Harry would not be returning as working members of the royal family, one year after they announced their intentions to step back from royal duties.

“Following conversations with The Duke, The Queen has written confirming that in stepping away from the work of The Royal Family it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement.

The couple’s first interview since leaving the royal family, a conversation with media mogul Oprah Winfrey, is set to air on March 7 on CBS.

Tags British royalty Meghan Markle Meghan, Duchess of Sussex Oprah Winfrey Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Thomas Markle

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