The Duchess of Sussex’s lawsuit against the Daily Mail has become so complicated, made even more so because the Mail has detailed their version of events extensively in their own reporting, which of course is biased against Meghan. In the coming weeks, Team Meghan’s motion for summary judgment will be heard and decided – if the judge gives Meghan a summary judgment, then the case is over. If there’s no summary judgment, then Meghan will face off in court with the Mail and her toxic father in the late fall of this year, because she asked for and received a delay. If it goes to trial, this will have been a nearly three-year ordeal for Meghan. By all accounts, she wants to see it to the bitter end. But according to the Sunday Times, she’s getting pressure from the palace to drop the case because it might be embarrassing for various people. I’ll say.
The idea that the case will go to trial this year: Some courtiers still hope it will not come to that, because the implications of a trial would be disastrous, whatever the outcome. A royal aide summed up the hope that the duchess will find an elegant way to drop her suit “to protect the royal family” and her vulnerable father. Others behind palace walls fear the worst, astonished that it has already gone this far. While they may be desperate for her to drop her case, it is impossible to predict the couple’s decision, given their clear enthusiasm for breaking with protocol.
Expose palace operations, you say? “A trial would be traumatic for Meghan and Harry, it will expose palace operations, members of staff would be dragged into it on the witness stands…it would be deeply uncomfortable for the institution,” a senior royal source said last week.
Meghan did get advice from old-guard people: The Sunday Times reports on a long-circulating rumor that Harry and Meghan first sought the advice of lawyer Gerrard Tyrrell, who acted successfully for the Prince of Wales after the Mail on Sunday published extracts in 2005 from his private diary, in which he described the Chinese leadership as “appalling old waxworks.” Tyrrell warned the Sussexes not to sue the Mail on Sunday, but that Meghan and Harry ignored his advice and the couple turned to Schillings, a firm known for its aggressive tactics on behalf of celebrity clients upset with the media. “Before Harry and Meghan pulled the trigger, we wanted to walk them through what it would look like if it went all the way [to trial] and to face up to that,” a royal source said.
[From The Sunday Times/The Australian]
I don’t understand why the Windsors are “astonished” that this case is still happening? Did they really think that Meghan would simply drop the suit when the Mail continued to harass her, smear her and lie about her? The reality of the situation is that Buckingham Palace, Clarence House and Kensington Palace – the royals and the courtiers – all worked together to smear Harry and Meghan in the press, and they are now exerting pressure on H&M to drop the lawsuit out of a fear that THEY, the abusers, will be outed for their schemes. It’s insane! “Please drop this lawsuit, you’ll expose how badly we treated you, you need to do this for us, the people who abused you.”
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
Lololol. They’re clearly afraid they will be outed. But also like…they’re not even trying to offer her anything to get her to drop it.
They could pull a last minute stunt like when the queen got the courts to drop the theft charge against Paul Burrell, Diana’s butler. If I were the Windsors, I would call in every favour and let Meghan win the judgement because right now, they are not covering themselves in glory and their brand is badly damaged.
I am expecting that this is what will happen. The Queen, Charles and William haven’t yet worked out that Harry and Meghan don’t bluff.
truly! they’re just so awful and they don’t seem to understand how awful they are
You said it, Sara. They want Meghan to “protect the royal family”… what, like the royal family protected her? I think if she ever does spill the beans, it’ll be because Harry and she know there’s no going back. As it is now, the door is closed, but not locked. If someone ever locks that door, look out.
I don’t think there is anything they can offer her at this point to get her to drop the case. I’m sure they’ve tried empty threats. The only way I can see this being dropped is if The Mail agrees to settle, but judging how they’ve behaved, I believe they see profits in playing this out in a public trial. Perhaps they shouldn’t have colluded with the press to malign Meghan.
If I was Meghan the only way they can get me to drop the case would be a media blackout. The queen would have to issue a severe media blackout on UK media where they can talk about Meghan, Archie and harry for 15 years.
A summary judgement is a win for both the palace and the courtiers but not for the media. If Meghan wins it, she wins her case and she can move on. A trial is avoided just like the courtiers want. But the media skip out on a massive press coverage of it.
So if I were the courtiers, I would be working behind the scenes to see if Meghan could get one.
The issue is that the press OWN the BRF. I’m not sure they have anything left to give valuable enough to make that happen.
I completely agree that a massive trial is for the benefit of the tabloids. Hence why if the palace intervenes in not getting one, they’ll be pretty angry.
I would love this to happen cause that means the BRF will screw the press out of trial coverage, something they’ve been banking on since the sussexes left.
Hence why they might not go for it. If the BRF is the reason the tabloids miss out on a massive trial media blitz, then said tabloids could easily turn on certain members of the family.
@Sofia Then they better hope and pray the judge decides to grant the judgement on his own. With this article I personally think they’ll press the judge to grant the summary judgment. The press will be mad but they can’t go completely nuclear on the BRF. Both need each other. Their abuse being revealed via this trial could be much worse for them imo.
I love the suggestion that she protect the very people who have been directly and indirectly attacking her. I’m sorry but the double standards and hypocrisy suddenly seem to be blocking all the light.
Yeah – the nerve to wish that she’d protect the people and the institution that refused to protect her and her son in the media. These royal sources have no shame!
Its narcissism, they hold others to standards they don’t hold themselves to. The BRF has a habit of doing this
Well at least they’re just admitting it now, right? The worry is that this will expose “palace operations” – aka who is leaking to the press. I think William is VERY worried right now .
@becks1 I wonder how much is William and how much is Charles. It seems to me that H&M hold the Cambridge’s largely responsible, but they still have communication with Prince Charles, which would indicate to me they don’t him AS culpable in all of it. Would finding out PC’s level of involvement damage that relationship, and is that what is behind this new push?
I do wonder the same thing, and I almost said “William and Charles are very worried.” I honestly think finding out that Charles is behind all of this would look bad for Charles, but not that bad, because people generally have a low opinion of him anyway (lots of “well he’s done good work and he works hard BUT….”) but I think for William, it would do significant damage to his reputation because so many people do buy into the whole “loving older brother and overall family man” persona that he’s put out for the past decade or so.
I think for Harry, it would be devastating to find out that Charles was behind it, but I have to think if that was the case, Harry would already know.
My personal take on it has always been that Charles is behind a few of the leaks (some true, some not, like the story about how he was still supporting H&M when he wasn’t), but that William was really the driving force behind the overall smear campaign and behind the Sussexit leaks etc. Charles didn’t want Harry out of the country, William did.
@becks1 I agree with you. I think Harry knows exactly who leaked what for what purpose. That he doesn’t seem to have cut off Charles in the same way he has William basically confirms what we speculated, that Charles isn’t the driving force behind the smears. Besides Christian Jones and Jason Knauf work for William. No one directly linked to Charles has been outed as a leaker to the media.
I don’t think Harry labors under any delusions about his family and is actually used to them behaving in this manner just not to the extent they’ve behaved since Meghan’s arrival. I think he knows that they’ve all been involved in the smear to varying degrees and that William is the driving force, hence why the feud is between them. Harry knows his family and that’s why he removed his wife and child from not only the firm but Britain as well.
Where have you been. M+ h aren’t talking to Charles. Stop listening to tabloidsm if they were talking to Charles he would be leaking info. H said I am my mothers son. He said they get kindness from their moms and strangers. They know Charles and will and the whole family stabbed them in the back
Asking her to support a decision that will continue her experience of harm…
Burn it ALL down, Meghan!
I think it’s clear at this point she has nothing to lose. The other side has played all of their cards and it still hasn’t worked. Meghan has called their bluff.
But they DO have an option, Meghan has asked for a summary judgment this month because it’s clearly an open and shut case. Give her what she wants and this will all go away.
But will the tabloids give in? I guess we will see how much control the family has over the tabloids to get them to back down.
Hmm. Let me see. All the houses of Windsor collude to destroy the biracial married in and now want her to help them save THEIR reputation? Colour me astonished. The best thing they can do is use their monarch to influence the summary judgement outcome. They know they have messed up big time and are worried about the outcome. Win, lose or draw, Meghan and Harry don’t care and they will still earn mega bucks.
Why would the trial be traumatic for Meghan? She seems to be ready for it.
I don’t think that the royals understand that Meghan isn’t fighting this fight just for herself but for others like Caroline Flack whose lives were ruined by the British tabloids.
And Diana.
Why are the concerned about a case they should have nothing to do with? 🙃 this all sounds like an admission of guilt to me. But hey, if they find a way to strong arm the judge into granting the summary judgment then by all means go ahead!
Right? Why would “palace operations” be exposed in a case between Meghan and the Mail about a personal letter hmmm?
This article had a lot of “read-between-the-lines-isms.” Charles successfully sued the MOS for publishing his diaries, but Meghan needs to stop her suit to protect the royal family. Whoever gave the MOS access to Prince Charles’ diaries, he or she was not someone the royals felt they needed to protect. But Meghan’s letter? Can’t let that name get out. All I want to know now was whether it was William, Carole, Kate, or PIppa, or did they do it as a group project?
And continuing the suit has nothing to do with Harry & Meghan’s “enthusiasm for breaking protocol.” Charles broke the protocol, William broke the protocol. Suing the papers IS the WIndsor protocol.
I’d say the palace wouldn’t be worried about Pippa or Carole being exposed. William might be invested in protecting them but he might not even care if Kate was thrown to the wolves.
True, but Carole would care about Kate’s name being sullied, and Carole knows things that she might have to use in response.
So who’s ready to see this summary judgment order?
That’s literally the only card the Windsor’s have left. Meghan ain’t dropping this nor should she.
Just imagine the audacity of this whole thing. Abuse and smear someone to the point they their husband just pulls the plug on his whole relationship with the family and the institution and then have the nerve to ask her to save them? Messy.
Meg should protect them as much as the protected her. They didn’t so she owes them nothing.
Imagine if they chose not to continue smearing Meghan (and Harry) after they left? Imagine if the royals were actually supportive and not openly undermining every single thing H&M tried to do. If they didn’t pretend to be “blindsided” at the start, if they didn’t frame the summit as punitive, if Kate didn’t snub Meghan at the CW service, if they didn’t counter-brief every component of FF, if they didn’t feign outrage at every single they H&M did… I think things would be so much better for them.
They wouldn’t look so butthurt, for one. But H&M would also look a lot less justified for leaving. And stories like this would make a ton more sense, bc there would at least be the appearance of reciprocity. Idk, I think the Firm severely miscalculated this, and instead of acknowledging so, they continue digging this hole.
Reeeeaaaally? Protect them from what?
I think I see some beads of sweat forming under those crowns.
Protection works BOTH ways.
Perhaps, if the Men In Grey and Old Brenda (not to mention Penis with Teeth) had offered an iota of support and told the press to back off during her pregnancy, and called out their racist bullying, she might be amenable to preventing ‘embarrassment’. As it stands: too bad. This case is important because it sets a precedent for all those abused by the tabloids.
Old Brenda. Love it
I find it amazing that the palace wants Meghan to drop her case to protect the Royal Family and her father. Where was the protection for Meghan when she needed it and why does it seem that the Royal Family cares more about Thomas Markle than they do about Harry and Meghan? This story is infuriating on so many levels. How can they can talk about trauma when the Palace was the main source of trauma for Harry and Meghan for the last 4 years. I hope Meghan gets the Summary Judgement just so she can move on to doing other things but if she doesn’t, I hope the Palace and Royal Family get exposed for all the wrongdoing they did to Harry and Meghan. Furthermore as a public institution, the people have a right to know how the Royal Family is run.
So I think this and wreath story has come up because of launch of Archewell. The firm has to insert itself & derail any focus on that.
Hmm well we know the firm doesn’t care about Meghan or Thomas Snr (who isn’t required to testify in person) so the trial being traumatic for either of them isn’t the reason they want it dropped. Jason Knauf’s name has come up. Could he be a fail witness? I wonder how the Fail knew about his being consulted on the letter & the electronic draft to add that to their defence.
And generally why would Palace operations be exposed by a trial over this letter? Very fishy.
The press were calling it the trial of the century so they definitely don’t want summary judgment. I wonder if the queen will cause this case to go away like she did with her ‘sudden recollection’ over the Burrell theft case.
Twitter is saying, yes, Jason Knauf will be the witness and is the one who gave the letter to the press, with Will’s permission. This is what they don’t want out, that although they didn’t get Meghan’s permission to print, they did permission from Will. They were all convinced it wouldn’t go any further (as in Meghan wouldn’t sue).
But it was Thomas Markle who sold the letter to the press.
This is where I’m losing the story, to be honest. I thought Thomas Markle sold the letter to the press and the whole defense was that it was his to give? but now it came from Jason Knauf? Or did Jason give them one of the drafts or something?
These people are not slick at all. If it were me ? I’m paying Jason Knauf to throw him under the bus. Release statement saying he sold the letter to the tabloids and acted alone. Case closed.
But the fact that so many leaks occurred during Meghan time at KP suggests that the attacks were cordoned. So don’t know how it might play out in the public opinion
The judge already ruled that Thomas is not important in the case so why would Meghan need to drop it to protect him? (Not that he deserves protection.)
Exactly. He’s just considered a fringe witness since the trial isn’t about him. The judge already told him he doesn’t need to be there in person.
Nah … it’s CHECK MATE. Allegedly KP gave the tabloid the letter afterwards they persuaded TM to cough up the original letter to cover their tracks. At that moment in time KP (CH and BP) thought they had H&M in a vice grip and could abuse them at will, so they gave the tabloids assurances that there would be no blowback.
The tabloids ran with the letter. H&M calmly asked for a retraction and they were basically laughed at and KP, CH, BP and courtiers refused to help the Sussexes… cuz reasons.
The part most people are forgetting is that Harry sued the tabloids the same time as Meghan. In fact Harry has multiple cases pending and he keeps adding even more… weekly.
So, now the “vice grip” the BRF/tabloids thought was binding Harry and Meghan into submission is now binding the BRF inextricably to the tabloids. Neither can move without harming the other. Surely the BRF would prefer if the tabloids settle, that means their name will be kept out of the headlines. HOWEVER, if the tabloids acknowledge their wrong doing and settle… it will let open the floodgates to Harry’s (and others) court cases. Establishing precedence of tabloid harrassment with Meghan’s case (BTW it is an open and shut case) then most likely Harry will win the majority of his cases.
The tabloids would rather take their chances on going to court at least they can earn back their legal fees and fines in click bait articles. However, in the courtroom, it would be very difficult to shield the BRF and their courtiers from their alleged collusion with the tabloids as the source of the majority of leaks.
That is why the BRF and the tabloids want Meghan to drop the case, to get both the BRF and the tabloids off the hook.
The tabloids may have to fall on their sword…
I would think that Harry’s cases would be stronger now since he isn’t a public figure anymore but is the owner of a brand. He could get bigger damages for potential harm to his brand.
Very true. Good point.
This is a great view point – they were given the OK by Will – and that OK wasn’t held up. The tabloids no matter what reporter/team gets fired or how much the fine is, will keep on going because it’s a machine. The BRF don’t have that type of protection.
Excellent points.
I’m confused. I could have sworn I saw something yesterday that Jason Knauf had Meghan’s original letter because he helped draft parts of it. Or was given it to peruse for anything that wasn’t allowed. Whatever the case, the BRF is full of it. They don’t care about Meghan. Or her “vulnerable” father. They care very much that it’ll be revealed that William, the Middletons, and the Grey Men all had their hands in the smear campaign against Harry & Meghan. I’m sure they don’t want Meghan being asked any potentially embarrassing questions, under oath, about the behavior and actions of these people. I hope Meghan gets a summary judgement, but if she doesn’t, I hope she burns those institutions to the ground with the truth.
I’m confused too, but I do remember it coming out a few months ago that Jason had the original letter because he helped to draft parts of it -but that was in the context of “Meghan doesn’t own the copyright so doesn’t have the right to sue” (because Jason also owned part of the copyright according to the theory.) I didn’t realize it was part of the theory that KP had leaked the letter.
let me get this straight Meghan has been Harassing and bullied by the royal family and their sicko royal reporters for years . She was not allowed to defend herself or her reputation that was being destroyed the royal family and courtiers activity help the press tormented Meghan daily even while she was pregnant with Archie . Now the same people who did everything they could to destroy her mentally and physically by Aligning themselves with her abusers now wants Meghan who endured some of the most horrific racist abuse by the British media’s to drop her lawsuits to protect the very family who wants to further harm her and her husband and her son . Where was the royals loyalty when Meghan was being racially abused by the press while pregnant where was the royal loyalty to Archie when he was called a monkey and the newest headline in the sun with the racist headlines happy nappy year . Where was the royal loyalty when their same royal reporters spend their time talking to anti Meghan people who spend their time making up conspiracies theories about Archie and calling him a names . Where was the royal loyalties when a woman flew to New York for the sole purposes to quote ripple Meghan fake belly off and swipe the smug look on face . The truly believe that Meghan would drop her lawsuits to help people who spend their time and resources to further harass and abuse her .
The British monarchy is f——-int nuts. You literally tried to destroy her, tried to make her loose her child and you want her to drop the lawsuit to protect you? What do you need protection from if according to you all, you have been nothing but supportive of Meghan and Harry . Her father, what father pleasure, no one in that palace cares about that idiot . Willy , if you were being above board and honest and caring as you claimed, then you would not be sweating rose pellets now would you?
The palace didn’t have a single f*ck to give about Harry or Meghan and we’re supposed to believe they are concerned for her “vulnerable father?”
I’m still wondering why a lawyer like Tyrrel who supposedly is intelligent would tell them that a copyright case with the same fact scenario as the one he won with Charles is not something to pursue in court. The entire concept of precedent is first year law. It’s the same situation. If the difference in the facts is that Jason Knauf reviewed the letter, that is still not enough to confirm consent was given because Meghan remains the author. Nothing can be distinguished here factually.
Anyone confused here?
Meghan didn’t want a trial-because she knows they will dig and reveal the 5 friends eventually amongst other things.
Tabloids want a trial so they can get months worth of stories and to humiliate her.
But the RF is afraid of a trial. If they weren’t involved, they have no reason to be. But now we know two royals egged Meghan on to write the letter, and a staffer has the copy of it. Their panic seems to suggest that they’re afraid that they allegedly told the media to leak it and then blame Thomas for it. And a trial would possibly crack Thomas and expose everything.
So wouldn’t it be the tabloids interest too, to avoid a trial? Or else they would have committed perjury or something?
It looks like the RF didn’t expect information about the royals and Knauf to come out, or that the tabloids are bringing the RF into this (i.e. The media said, screw you I’m saving my own ass).
Why is this coming up now? The trial won’t be for several months. Is this to signal to the judge that the BRF want the case done with? Also, for an institution that wants Meghan to protect them they sure have a weird way of showing it with their spiteful actions and constant monitoring of everything they do.
The judge agreed to postpone the trial until fall 2021, but Meghan’s lawyers also applied for a summary judgement. That means they think their case is so strong that the judge can go ahead and rule on it without a trial. We should know his decision on that in the next couple of weeks.
Maybe the Firm asked Meghan to drop it recently and got a firm no. Hence, the multiple negative stories all attacking the Sussexes are payback for her no.
Reading between the lines, it seems like the press have now turned on the rest of the BRF and this article is confirmation of that.
I interpret this as get Megs to accept the out of court settlement or we will wring you all out to dry. That’s a pretty steep threat that suggests that Meghan as a private citizen is not allowed to litigate on her own half bc doing so means she would expose members of her husband’s family to harm. The very same people who did nothing to protect her during three years of unrelenting abuse and whom continue to brief against her today.
It’s essentially like negotiating with a terrorist.
Meghan needs to push on and give them all bloody noses so they never even think to throw her under a bus again.
This is what they were really afraid of and why they sought to silence her. I hope Meghan and Harry burn it all down to the ground and expose each and every one of them. And let’s start with Andy.
Let’s get 2021 off with a bang and Andy in prison somewhere….
I don’t think the press has turned on the monarchy at all. I think the Rota are the arse kissers and gas lighters they always are, but occasionally let a good news story and sheer boredom get in the way of the PR and press releases. I think with the latest wreath story, the press and palace are trying to generate news and lean on the Sussexes. I honestly don’t know what to make of this story since they are attacking Harry at the same time they’re demanding Meghan protect the royals. What exactly are they worried about being revealed? Maybe they want some kind of quid pro quo. If so, it’s really clumsy and distasteful. Seriously, one of the most protected institutions in the world needs Meghan’s help? This is just insane.
If the press is angry and have turned on the family it is because they feel the summary judgement is coming and will not be in their favor. If they lose this and have to pay big money, then the royal family are going to have to deliver some juicy news for them to make this loss up.
I think the BRF wants the trial to go away because it may come William gave the order to weaponize Bad Dad to stall or stop the wedding and gave the order for the media to go after Meghan because of the relationship. Sammy has a “book” coming out next week, a memoir, how the Markles have been treated. Dollar bet she brings up the court case now that Bad Dad won’t testify. The BRF has exposure there too.
They really could have just not been insecure shitheads from the beginning and let the nice black lady live her life and be beneficial to the institution but they couldn’t help themselves. I hope Meghan drags all of their dirt out one day at a time.
I am hoping for Summary judgement with Meghan winning so she can get on with her life and doesn’t have to go through a whole trial. She’s spent enough of her life being battered by that abusive royal family and British media. At the start of this, I thought her father and his children were the absolute worst, but the BRF has shown themselves to be even worse than the Markles who are not Meghan and Meghan needs to be done with all of that. If it does goes to trial, I hope Meghan is asked under oath for information that reveals the truth of what happened to her during her time as a working royal and ends up burning them all with Harry’s blessing. Summary judgement is the hope, but if not, burn it to the ground and let the chips falls where they may.
She cannot protect the RF & courtiers from their own hamfisted and self destructive conduct. We know who the firm are and they just need to suck it up, tell the truth, apologize to both H & M and ask for forgiveness. Short of that, they can just be quiet and let the cases be resolved by the courts. If H&M can take it, why can’t they? They deserve what they get.
This is an open & shut case. Im certain she’ll win the summary judgement because there’s precedent with chuck’s case+the RF is clearly sending a not so subtle message that they want it to end.
I hope even if she wins that she tells the world about how the institution was complicit in her ordeal.