Publication recently apologised to Meghan on its front page
Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile
The Duchess of Sussex will receive a “substantial amount” in damages from The Mail on Sunday following her win in the long-running copyright and privacy cases against the publication and Mail Online.
In August 2018, Meghan Markle sued Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), which owns The Mail on Sunday and Mail Online, over five articles that reproduced parts of a “personal and private” letter she had written to her father, Thomas Markle.
Meghan won her case earlier this year when a High Court judge ruled in her favour without a full trial.
At the time, Meghan said she had been the face of “deception, intimidation, and calculated attacks” and criticised a “tabloid industry that conditions people to be cruel, and profits from the lies and pain that they create”.
The “substantial amount” paid by ANL will be donated to charity and confirms ANL will not be appealing the decision.
The payout revelation follows an apology made by the publication on its front page on Boxing Day.
A statement along the bottom of the Mail on Sunday read: “The Duchess of Sussex wins her legal case for copyright infringement against Associated Newspapers for articles published in The Mail on Sunday and posted on Mail Online – SEE PAGE 3”
On page three, under the heading “The Duchess of Sussex”, it added: “Following a hearing on 19-20 January, 2021, and a further hearing on 5 May, 2021, the Court has given judgment for the Duchess of Sussex on her claim for copyright infringement.
“The Court found that Associated Newspapers infringed her copyright by publishing extracts of her handwritten letter to her father in The Mail on Sunday and on Mail Online.
“Financial remedies have been agreed.”
The Independent has contacted a spokesperson for the Duchess of Sussex for comment.
Registration is a free and easy way to support our truly independent journalism
By registering, you will also enjoy limited access to Premium articles, exclusive newsletters, commenting, and virtual events with our leading journalists
{{#verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}} {{^verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}}
Already have an account? sign in
By clicking ‘Register’ you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use, Cookie policy and Privacy notice.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy policy and Terms of service apply.
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Getty Images
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in
Log in
New to The Independent?
Or if you would prefer:
Want an ad-free experience?
Hi {{indy.fullName}}
