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Harry and Meghan discussion thread

The Queen must be thinking Princess Diana was a lot better than this Meghan Markle character.
 
JaDed said:
I know a Pakistani family that served British Indian Army or Airforce, and then in 1948 moved to States, their extended family were zamindars wonder if their citizenship was delayed too..
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Till the 1965 civil rights reforms in US, Asian immigrants were excluded from citizenship rights in America mainly as a hold-out from the World War 2 era, so safe to assume they would have got citizenship only after that.
 
Stewie said:
Lol.. long false post? How? How was any of it false? What evidence do you have to back your claim?
Their whole thing is they want to be financially independent and not a burden on UK tax payers.. I say leave them alone and let them try and achieve that goal. If they can’t and are still mooching off of taxpayers, then sure burn them at the stake.. mera kaunsa chachey ka putter hai !

It is you who continues to whine about Harry and Meghan being a burden.. which only time will tell and are all assumptions at this point.
Bhai pata nahi kaunsi common sense laga rahey ho.. kahan se milti hai ye special waali common sense.. sanoo v dasso maybe I can use it to convince my wife to let me play cricket 7 days a week.
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You wrote "have financial independence and not mooch off of UK tax payers.. "

This was simply not true. Im not whining just pointing out you are wrong, so just accept it. lol

The couple will have security in the UK paid by the taxpayer. Therefore it's not mooch, unless you can show me otherwise.
 
dildilpak said:
Not birthright American, but as i said he was born & raised here & eventually was naturalised when my grandad quit the diplomatic service & immigrated to America in the early 60s (fun fact - my grandad was one of the earliest wave of Pakistanis who got US citizenship after the Asian citizenship exclusion was removed in the mid-60s civil rights reform)

Anything else?
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I know quite a few families settled in Central CA (Near Fresno) that came from Punjab back in 1920s to work on agri farms. Now they are on 4th generation (most still live like they were in a village in Punjab lol).
So I would believe their kids born here in the Us in 30s, 40,50s would be US born citizens?
 
cric_man said:
I know quite a few families settled in Central CA (Near Fresno) that came from Punjab back in 1920s to work on agri farms. Now they are on 4th generation (most still live like they were in a village in Punjab lol).
So I would believe their kids born here in the Us in 30s, 40,50s would be US born citizens?
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There is a town in CA, Yuba city which has a huge population of serdars.. they were brought here way back then. I think that’s the area you are talking about. It’s fascinating.
 
Stewie said:
There is a town in CA, Yuba city which has a huge population of serdars.. they were brought here way back then. I think that’s the area you are talking about. It’s fascinating.
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Yes. I conflated it with the sardar population around Fresno/Selma which is more recent.
But Yuba City has not only Sardars but muslims as well that have settled in that area since 1920s.

I watched this documentary on PBS a few years back. On how the community struggled to build a mosque which was then destroyed by an arsonist.
 
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cric_man said:
I know quite a few families settled in Central CA (Near Fresno) that came from Punjab back in 1920s to work on agri farms. Now they are on 4th generation (most still live like they were in a village in Punjab lol).
So I would believe their kids born here in the Us in 30s, 40,50s would be US born citizens?
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I dont know the specifics of these cases in CA, but what i know was that Asians were expressly excluded from citizenship till the 60s & citizenship was restricted to caucasian races - i recollect there was this case of an Indian guy called Bhagat Singh or someone in the 1920s who was actually denaturalised because the courts restricted the citizenship to caucasians. So now i am equally curious when did these Sardars in CA become citizens - would be only in the 60s i am guessing considering the law of those
days.
 
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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday he has yet to speak to the Queen about Prince Harry and Meghan moving to Canada — and there's no agreement between Canada and the U.K. on how to pay for the security costs associated with protecting the high-profile couple.

British tabloid outlets have reported that Trudeau has agreed already that Canada would pay for the couple's security. The London-based Evening Standard reported that Trudeau has "privately assured the Queen" that Canada would shoulder the costs of protecting Harry and Meghan.

However, Trudeau said Tuesday the Canadian government has not yet brokered such a deal.

"I have not spoken to Her Majesty directly. Discussions continue to be ongoing and I have no updates at this moment," Trudeau said.

Speaking at the federal cabinet retreat in Winnipeg today, Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said the government has not yet conducted a security "assessment" to learn what might be required to protect the two while they're living in Canada.

He said Harry and Meghan are not receiving protection from Canadian security personnel. Canada is not paying for the guards spotted alongside the two in B.C., Blair said.

The Daily Mail, citing unnamed security sources, reported Tuesday that Meghan is being protected by officers from the London Metropolitan Police with support from the RCMP.

But Blair, the minister responsible for the RCMP, said that "right now," RCMP officers "are not engaged in providing those security services."

Under Canadian law, foreign security officers protecting dignitaries are forbidden from bringing firearms into the country without the "express written authorization" of the RCMP.

A spokesperson for the RCMP said the national police force would not comment on the security arrangements.

Blair said certain individuals, such as heads of state and royal family members, are considered "internationally protected persons (IPP)" under the UN Protection of Diplomats Convention, which obliges Canada to provide a certain level of security.

The definition of an IPP, according to the Criminal Code, is limited to the Queen and other members of the Royal Family who "[accompany] that person in a state other than the state in which that person holds that position or office."

But because Harry and Meghan essentially have renounced their royal titles, Blair said their status is in question.

"Their position as internationally protected persons has therefore changed. There is an assessment done by our officials who have a responsibility to maintain safety for people who are vulnerable within our society. And so, that work is ongoing but that has not yet been resolved," Blair told reporters Tuesday.

Harry reunited with Meghan, Archie in B.C.
Harry was reunited with his wife and his son Archie in B.C. overnight after nearly two weeks apart. Harry negotiated a separation agreement of sorts with the Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William last week, an agreement that included a promise to give up most of the trappings of royal life in exchange for Buckingham Palace's permission to live most of the time in Canada.

During a Saturday speech, Harry said it was with "great sadness" that the two were separating themselves from the Royal Family and its home base in the U.K. He said he and Meghan had "no other option" but to cut ties in the hopes of achieving a more peaceful life.

The prince, who has agreed to stop using the His Royal Highness title, flew on a commercial airline to Canada accompanied by protection officers. Photographers captured Harry leaving a WestJet aircraft on the tarmac of Victoria International Airport.

The couple have agreed to stop receiving British taxpayer funds — money allocated to the couple through the Sovereign Grant — but the question of who will pay for their security remains unresolved.

The estimated price tag for that sort of security varies widely, with some experts pegging the cost at $1.7 million a year and others suggesting it could be many times that amount.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation has circulated a petition demanding Ottawa refuse all requests for public funds to support Harry and Meghan while they're in Canada.

The petition has been signed by 80,000 people in less than a week, according the federation, a lobby group that calls for lower taxes and smaller government.

"Canadians are pleased to welcome the Duke and Duchess to Canada — but have made it crystal clear that taxpayers should not be forced to support them while they are living here," said Aaron Wudrick, the group's federal director.

"All Canadians wish them well as they realize their ambition of financial independence."

Warnings
The paparazzi have been a source of some frustration for the couple. Meghan has been photographed almost constantly on Vancouver Island since her arrival there following the initial bombshell announcement earlier this month that she and Harry were moving to Canada. Meghan was photographed carrying baby Archie while walking two dogs in a Victoria-area park.

Sky News, a British broadcasting outlet, reported Tuesday that lawyers for the couple have issued warnings to would-be paparazzi.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/tr...-harry-meghan-security-costs-canada-1.5434579
 
The Duchess of Sussex is known for her forthright opinions on Donald Trump, having accused him of being “misogynistic” and “divisive” during his 2016 presidential campaign. The 37-year old Meghan also went on record to say that she would vote for Hilary Clinton and threatened to emigrate to Canada if Trump became the next President after Barack Obama. Last year, Trump visited the UK on two occasions and the Duchess of Sussex was conspicuous by her absence, as she appeared to be avoiding any meeting with the US President.

When informed by The Sun of Meghan’s previous comments, the US President claimed he was unaware of them.

He said: “I didn’t know that. What can I say? I didn’t know that she was nasty.”

Commenting on the frosty relationship between Meghan Markle and Donald Trump, political chat show host John Cardillo dismissed Meghan Markle as a minor and insignificant celebrity.

He told the Express.co.uk Meghan Markle’s antagonistic attitude to Trump was a way to curry favour with Hollywood’s elite, so as to further her own acting career.

The host of America Talks Live said: “She was like a 'C' list actress, a supporting actress on a cable network show for a few seasons.

“She got lucky and married a prince.

“Now I think Meghan Markle realises that she is never going to be truly embraced as a Royal.

“She wants to be back in the good graces of Hollywood.

“She and Harry have trademarked a brand and here in this country you can't be beloved by the elite in Hollywood and by the elite in the fashion industry, if you support Trump or any Republican, or any Conservative.

“So I don't think Meghan Markle is an ideologue as much as she is an opportunist.

“By making believe that she hates Trump, maybe some of the right players in entertainment and fashion will invite her to the right parties and she'll make a few bucks.”

Sources have revealed to the Daily Mail that the Duchess of Sussex plans to become politically active now she and Harry have quit the Royal Family.

The move could put her on a collision course with other royal family members.

The source explained: “The Duchess is said to be frustrated that she was forced to stay out of politics after getting engaged to Harry.

“She has strong political opinions and will now take advantage of the greater freedom she has to express them publicly.”

https://www.express.co.uk/news/roya...-prince-harry-queen-elizabeth-ii-donald-trump
 
Prince Harry is a young man and will grow to realize his mistake when he eventually gets his divorce proceedings underway.
 
ManFan said:
Prince Harry is a young man and will grow to realize his mistake when he eventually gets his divorce proceedings underway.
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Nope. The only mistake to be realized is by the Royal family who are running out of people to carry out the Royal duties
 
ManFan said:
Prince Harry is a young man and will grow to realize his mistake when he eventually gets his divorce proceedings underway.
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Why would he divorce that beauty who he is clearly besotted with and who is the mother of his child?
 
Robert said:
Why would he divorce that beauty who he is clearly besotted with and who is the mother of his child?
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Regardless of her physical beauty, she is someone that does not look or act genuine in her conduct.

She has had strange dating history beforehand (everyone does regretful things in youth but cannot ignore the pattern).

They may live a long and joyful life as this is not the first time within a hundred years someone has gave up the chance of the Crown for love.

But it does not appear that way.
 
Read somewhere that now they're planning on moving to Los Angeles. Let's see if it's true. :))
 
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have taken part in their first joint event since giving up royal duties, where Harry reportedly spoke about having therapy to cope with the trauma of losing his mother.

Prince Harry gave a speech at a luxury beachfront hotel during a JP Morgan event in Miami.

It is not known whether he was paid, as he and Meghan prepare to become financially independent and drop their HRH titles.

The Duke of Sussex spoke about mental health and "how he has been in therapy for the past few years to try to overcome the trauma of losing his mother", the New York Post reported.

"He talked about how the events of his childhood affected him," according to a source.

"Harry also touched on Megxit," the source apparently continued, "saying while it has been very difficult on him and Meghan, he does not regret their decision to step down as senior royals because he wants to protect his family.

A number of charitable organisations were due to feature at the event at 1 Hotel on Miami's South Beach.

A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said: "I can confirm reports the Sussexes attended a JP Morgan gathering in Miami yesterday, where the duke spoke."

Harry and Meghan are living in Canada before officially beginning their new lives - away from the monarchy - in the spring.

They are going to repay £2.4m of taxpayers' money spent on renovating their Berkshire home, Frogmore Cottage.

They will still use the property as their base when in the UK, but it is believed they will spend the majority of their time in North America.

The Duchess's estranged father recently said that "Harry owes me, Meghan owes me" and it is time for his daughter to "look after daddy".

And Harry lost a complaint against the Mail On Sunday over photos he posted on social media of African wildlife that "did not quite tell the full story".

https://news.sky.com/story/harry-and-meghan-attend-jp-morgan-event-in-miami-11928667
 
Prince Harry and Meghan are understood to have cut the roles of 15 members of staff as they close their Buckingham Palace office and step away from royal life.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are living in Canada with their baby son Archie as they start a new life of financial independence, away from royal duties.

A palace source told Sky News the couple no longer need an office at the palace and their team was informed last month.

The source said the details are still being finalised and while some staff may move to other roles in the royal household, others will be made redundant.

The Sussexes had initially hoped for a dual role, supporting the Queen, the Commonwealth and Harry's military associations, but the idea was deemed unworkable.

Buckingham Palace has said their new life away from royal duties will begin in the spring of this year.

Last week, during the Sussexes' first event since announcing they will leave the royal family, Harry revealed he has been in therapy for the past few years coping with the loss of his mother.

He told a JP Morgan-sponsored alternative investment summit in Florida he did not want his wife and son to experience what he went through when he was younger.

It is not known if the duke was paid for the appearance but it was speculated he could have received a fee worth hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Royal watchers will be waiting to see whether Harry and Meghan, who are president and vice-president of the Queen's Commonwealth Trust, will put in an appearance at the annual Commonwealth Day service with the royal family at Westminster Abbey on 9 March.

https://news.sky.com/story/prince-harry-and-meghan-axe-15-staff-in-canada-move-11933614
 
Harry and Meghan have 'moved to California' to set up new home

Harry, Meghan and baby Archie are understood to be living in lockdown close to Hollywood after leaving Canada last week.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have left Canada to set up their new home in California, according to reports.

Harry and Meghan, with their 10-month-old son Archie, are understood to be living in lockdown close to Hollywood in accordance with the state's coronavirus containment measures.

The family left their rented home in Vancouver last week and took a private flight to the US before the border between the two countries closed, The Sun reported.

The report came hours after it was revealed Meghan will narrate a Disney documentary in her first post-royal job.

"Harry and Meghan have left Canada now for good", a source told the Sun. "The borders were closing and the flights were stopping. They had to get out."

The source added that the move was "planned for some time" and the couple realised Canada would "not work out for various reasons" and that they wanted to be based in Los Angeles.

"They have a big support network there. It's where their new team of Hollywood agents and PRs and business managers are based.

"Meghan has lots of friends there and, of course, her mum Doria."

The couple are set to officially step down as senior royals on 31 March and will no longer be able to use their HRH styles or use Sussex Royal as their brand.

Buckingham Palace declined to comment.
The couple said they wanted to be financially independent as they announced they were stepping down as senior royals.

The Disney documentary Meghan has worked on is called Elephant, and will be available on streaming service Disney+ from 3 April.

Meanwhile, Harry has recorded a charity single with Jon Bon Jovi and the Invictus Games Choir which will be released today.

Bon Jovi, whose parents both served in the US Marine Corps, originally wrote and released the track, called Unbroken, last year as a tribute to veterans living with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Harry, who founded the international sporting event for injured or sick military personnel, urged members of the Invictus Games Choir to use their experiences on the front line to make a "massive difference" to the public's mental health.

It emerged earlier this week that Prince Charles tested positive for coronavirus but has only experienced mild symptoms.

He is now self-isolating at his Scottish home Birkhall, in Aberdeenshire, while his wife the Duchess of Cornwall is living separately from her husband in the property after she tested negative for COVID-19.

The Queen, 93, is staying at Windsor Castle with the Duke of Edinburgh, 98, and the pair are in good health, Buckingham Palace said on Wednesday.

https://news.sky.com/story/harry-and-meghan-have-moved-to-california-to-set-up-new-home-11964322
 
Ryw said:
Harry and Meghan have 'moved to California' to set up new home

Harry, Meghan and baby Archie are understood to be living in lockdown close to Hollywood after leaving Canada last week.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have left Canada to set up their new home in California, according to reports.

Harry and Meghan, with their 10-month-old son Archie, are understood to be living in lockdown close to Hollywood in accordance with the state's coronavirus containment measures.

The family left their rented home in Vancouver last week and took a private flight to the US before the border between the two countries closed, The Sun reported.

The report came hours after it was revealed Meghan will narrate a Disney documentary in her first post-royal job.

"Harry and Meghan have left Canada now for good", a source told the Sun. "The borders were closing and the flights were stopping. They had to get out."

The source added that the move was "planned for some time" and the couple realised Canada would "not work out for various reasons" and that they wanted to be based in Los Angeles.

"They have a big support network there. It's where their new team of Hollywood agents and PRs and business managers are based.

"Meghan has lots of friends there and, of course, her mum Doria."

The couple are set to officially step down as senior royals on 31 March and will no longer be able to use their HRH styles or use Sussex Royal as their brand.

Buckingham Palace declined to comment.
The couple said they wanted to be financially independent as they announced they were stepping down as senior royals.

The Disney documentary Meghan has worked on is called Elephant, and will be available on streaming service Disney+ from 3 April.

Meanwhile, Harry has recorded a charity single with Jon Bon Jovi and the Invictus Games Choir which will be released today.

Bon Jovi, whose parents both served in the US Marine Corps, originally wrote and released the track, called Unbroken, last year as a tribute to veterans living with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Harry, who founded the international sporting event for injured or sick military personnel, urged members of the Invictus Games Choir to use their experiences on the front line to make a "massive difference" to the public's mental health.

It emerged earlier this week that Prince Charles tested positive for coronavirus but has only experienced mild symptoms.

He is now self-isolating at his Scottish home Birkhall, in Aberdeenshire, while his wife the Duchess of Cornwall is living separately from her husband in the property after she tested negative for COVID-19.

The Queen, 93, is staying at Windsor Castle with the Duke of Edinburgh, 98, and the pair are in good health, Buckingham Palace said on Wednesday.

https://news.sky.com/story/harry-and-meghan-have-moved-to-california-to-set-up-new-home-11964322
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Its interesting that the Daily Mail readers are still more interested in these 2 celebs when the World is burning. If Trump tells people to drink bleach to cure Corona it gets 2k comments, if Meghan or Harry break wind, it gets 8k in comments. To say that is weird is a slight understatement.
 
Harry and Meghan have brought a stately and high class meaning to immigrant status. They are people who should make all of us who have benefited from moving across the world proud!
 
President Donald Trump says the US will not foot the bill for Prince Harry and Meghan's security amid reports that the pair have moved to the US from Canada.

Mr Trump tweeted he was "a great friend and admirer of the Queen and the United Kingdom", but added: "They must pay!"

The couple said they had no plans to ask for publicly funded security in the US.

They have reportedly relocated to Meghan's home state of California amid the intensifying coronavirus outbreak.

They will formally step down as senior royals on 31 March and will no longer carry out duties on behalf of the Queen, but these arrangements will be reviewed after one year.

In a statement released through a spokesperson on Sunday, the couple said: "The duke and duchess have no plans to ask the US government for security resources. Privately funded security arrangements have been made."

The couple and their son Archie have spent much of this year residing in Canada's west coast, following a six-week Christmas break on Vancouver Island.

Last month, the Canadian government announced that it would stop providing security assistance to the family "in keeping with their change in status".

Now Mr Trump appears to have followed suit.

The family moved again last week to the Los Angeles area where Meghan was raised and where her mother, Doria Ragland, now lives, US media reports say.

The president's announcement comes as the novel coronavirus continues its steady march across the US. There are currently 135,499 confirmed cases - more reported diagnoses than any other country - and there have been 2,381 deaths.

In California, coronavirus cases continue to surge, with 5,565 cases and 121 reported deaths. Last week Governor Gavin Newsom issued a shelter-in-place order - ordering Californians to remain at home except for providing or accessing essential services - among the toughest directives across the country.

Prince Harry's father, the Prince of Wales, tested positive for coronavirus earlier this week, Buckingham Palace said, but "remains in good health".

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52086992
 
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have told the UK's tabloid press they are ending all co-operation with them.

In a letter to editors of all the Sun, Mirror, Mail and Express titles and websites, a representative said the pair had taken the step due to "distorted, false or invasive" stories.

Harry and Meghan said they refused to "offer themselves up as currency for an economy of click bait and distortion".

The couple have relocated to California after stepping back as senior royals.

In the letter, the couple's public relations representative wrote it was "gravely concerning that an influential slice of the media" has printed "distorted, false or invasive" articles.

"There is a real human cost to this way of doing business and it affects every corner of society," the letter said.

"The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have watched people they know - as well as complete strangers - have their lives completely pulled apart for no good reason, other than the fact that salacious gossip boosts advertising revenue."

The BBC was told that the letter had been sent to the editors of the Sun, the Daily Mail, the Daily Mirror and the Daily Express newspapers.

The new policy will apply to the four newspapers, their Sunday editions and associated websites, the Guardian's media editor Jim Waterson reported.

The Daily Star, which was not specifically mentioned, is published by the same group that publishes the Mirror and Express titles.

The ban on engagement with the papers will mean that the couple's PR team will no longer even answer calls from the papers asking them to confirm whether claims made about the couple are true or not.

'Not avoiding criticism'
Outlining the new policy of "no corroboration and zero engagement" with all the publications that received it, the letter said the measure would also protect the couple's communications team "from the side of the industry that readers never see".

"This policy is not about avoiding criticism," the letter continued.

"It's not about shutting down public conversation or censoring accurate reporting. Media have every right to report on and indeed have an opinion on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, good or bad. But it can't be based on a lie."

The letter said the couple will continue to work with other media and "young, up-and-coming journalists" to raise awareness of the issues and causes they care about.

In recent days, photographs of the Sussexes delivering food to vulnerable people in Los Angeles have been published by two of the newspapers to receive the letter.

And it comes ahead of a court hearing this week in a legal case Meghan has brought against the publisher of the Mail on Sunday over the publication of a letter written to the duchess by her estranged father.

The couple officially stepped back as senior working members of the Royal Family at the end of March as part of a transition following an announcement of their intention to become financially independent in January..

The letter in full

As The Duke and Duchess of Sussex now settle into the next chapter of their lives and no longer receive any publicly funded support, we are writing to set a new media relations policy, specifically as it pertains to your organisation.

Like you, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex believe that a free press is a cornerstone to any democracy— particularly in moments of crisis. At its best, this free press shines light on dark places, telling stories that would otherwise go untold, standing up for what's right, challenging power, and holding those who abuse the system to account.

It has been said that journalism's first obligation is to the truth. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex agree wholeheartedly.

It is gravely concerning that an influential slice of the media, over many years, has sought to insulate themselves from taking accountability for what they say or print—even when they know it to be distorted, false, or invasive beyond reason. When power is enjoyed without responsibility, the trust we all place in this much-needed industry is degraded.

There is a real human cost to this way of doing business and it affects every corner of society.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have watched people they know—as well as complete strangers—have their lives completely pulled apart for no good reason, other than the fact that salacious gossip boosts advertising revenue.

With that said, please note that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will not be engaging with your outlet. There will be no corroboration and zero engagement. This is also a policy being instated for their communications team, in order to protect that team from the side of the industry that readers never see.

This policy is not about avoiding criticism. It's not about shutting down public conversation or censoring accurate reporting. Media have every right to report on and indeed have an opinion on The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, good or bad. But it can't be based on a lie.

They also want to be very clear: this is not in any way a blanket policy for all media.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are looking forward to working with journalists and media organisations all over the world, engaging with grassroots media, regional and local media, and young, up-and-coming journalists, to spotlight issues and causes that so desperately need acknowledging. And they look forward to doing whatever they can to help further opportunities for more diverse and underrepresented voices, who are needed now more than ever.

What they won't do is offer themselves up as currency for an economy of click bait and distortion.

We are encouraged that this new approach will be heard and respected.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52349573
 
So desperate are people to attache anything to them that even in a global crisis, what they do is seen as more important than the decision makers. So if Harry takes the dog out for a walk, it receives 10K of comments, whilst the govt cant provide PPE hardly receives a comment. Leave them alone.
 
The Duchess of Sussex has revealed text messages she and Prince Harry sent to her father before their wedding, as part of legal action against the publisher of the Mail on Sunday.

Meghan claims Associated Newspapers misquoted the messages to paint the couple in a less good light.

She also claims tabloids, in particular those owned by the group, caused a dispute between her and her father.

Associated Newspapers says it will defend the privacy claim "with vigour".

It comes as Meghan and Harry, who have relocated to California after stepping back as senior royals, told the UK's tabloid press that they are ending all co-operation with them.

Meghan brought the legal action after a handwritten letter she sent to her father, Thomas Markle, was published in the Mail on Sunday.

She claims the letter was selectively edited by the paper to portray her "negatively".

Court papers containing the text messages have been filed ahead of an expected hearing later this week.

The legal document claims they show the newspaper group edited the messages the Duke and Duchess of Sussex sent to Mr Markle before their wedding on 19 May 2018.

'Meg and I are not angry'

It said that on 5 May 2018 Meghan wrote in a text to her father: "I've called and texted but haven't heard back from you so hoping you're okay".

She then messaged her father the next day after finding out photographs of her father had been staged for a paparazzo photographer, the document said.

"She explains that she had attempted to arrange logistics and supplies for her father discretely and with privacy, with care taken not to feed the press, that she is trying to protect her father from heightened press intrusion and scrutiny and that he should keep a low profile until the wedding," it says.

On 14 May 2018, it says, Mr Markle sent Meghan a text message to apologise and confirm that he would not be attending the wedding.

It says that around half an hour later, after several calls to Mr Markle went unanswered, Prince Harry sent the following messages to Mr Markle from Meghan's phone:

"Tom, it's Harry and I'm going to call you right now. Please pick up, thank you"

"Tom, Harry again! Really need to speak to u. U do not need to apologize, we understand the circumstances but "going public" will only make the situation worse. If u love Meg and want to make it right please call me as there are two other options which don't involve u having to speak to the media, who incidentally created this whole situation. So please call me so I can explain. Meg and I are not angry, we just need to speak to u. Thanks"

"Oh any speaking to the press WILL backfire, trust me Tom. Only we can help u, as we have been trying from day 1".

The legal document claimed the newspaper's summary of these messages contained "significant omissions" when it "merely" reported that the messages said "Mr Markle did not need to apologise and that he should call".

It adds the description of another exchange "intentionally omits" any reference to Meghan or Prince Harry attempting to protect Mr Markle and ensure that he was safe.

The document also states that the UK tabloid media, particularly Associated Newspapers, harassed, humiliated and manipulated Mr Markle.

Meghan alleges the newspaper group caused the very "dispute" which they claim justified the publication of the letter and also caused "substantial damage" to their relationship.

She accuses the paper of misusing her private information, breaching copyright and selective editing when it published the private letter to her father.

The Mail on Sunday has said there was "huge and legitimate" public interest in publishing the letter.

The paper argues that members of the Royal Family, including the Duchess of Sussex, "rely on publicity about themselves and their lives in order to maintain the privileged positions they hold and promote themselves".

It claims Meghan "did not have a reasonable expectation of privacy that the contents of the letter were private and would remain so".

As evidence that it did not infringe her privacy, the paper said the letter was "immaculately copied" in Meghan's "elaborate handwriting", arguing that this care in its presentation meant she anticipated it would be seen and read by a wider audience.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52354898
 
UK royal Meghan's privacy action against tabloid goes to London High Court

The first court hearing in a privacy case brought by Meghan, Britain’s Duchess of Sussex, against a tabloid newspaper for printing part of one of her letters takes place at London’s High Court on Friday.

Meghan, wife of Queen Elizabeth’s grandson Prince Harry, is suing publisher Associated Newspapers over articles its Mail on Sunday newspaper printed in February last year which were based on a letter she had sent to her father, Thomas Markle.

Lawyers for the duchess say its publication was a misuse of private information and breached her copyright. They are seeking aggravated damages from the paper.

Meghan and her father fell out on the eve of her glitzy, pomp-laden wedding to Harry in May 2018.

Markle pulled out days beforehand after undergoing heart surgery and following news he had staged photos with a paparazzi photographer, and speculation about his attendance dominated the build-up to the ceremony.

Documents from her lawyers this week accused the Mail and other tabloids of harassing, humiliating and manipulating Markle, and contributing towards the fallout between father and daughter.

They argue the Mail had also misquoted from the letter, which was never intended to be made public, to paint the royals in a poor light.

The Mail says unnamed friends of Meghan had put her version of events in interviews with the U.S. magazine People and that Markle had the right to put his side.

The paper’s lawyers also argue that given Meghan’s royal status, there was legitimate public interest in her personal and family relationships.

Friday’s hearing, which will be held remotely because of Britain’s coronavirus lockdown, is the start of the court action and no witnesses will take part. No date has been set yet for the full trial.

In the papers submitted by Meghan’s lawyers this week were details of text messages sent by Harry to his future father-in-law, pleading with him not to talk to the press and to call him and his daughter.

The duchess missed a call from Markle at 4.57 a.m. on the morning of the wedding and she has not received any calls or messages from him since then, the court papers added.

The legal action is the latest step in growing hostility between the media and the couple, who are now living in the Los Angeles area having stepped down from their royal roles at the end of last month.

This week the royals announced they would have “zero engagement” with four of Britain’s top tabloids, accusing them of false and invasive coverage.

That statement brought anger and derision from many newspapers which accused them of egotism and questionable timing by making the announcement during the COVID-19 crisis.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...bloid-goes-to-london-high-court-idUSKCN2253RI
 
Meghan court case: Tabloid accused of 'manipulating' duchess's father

A tabloid has been accused in legal documents of "harassing, humiliating, manipulating and exploiting" the Duchess of Sussex's "vulnerable" father.

The claim emerged during the first hearing in Meghan's court action, where the proceedings are being held remotely due to the coronavirus pandemic.

She is suing Associated Newspapers for alleged misuse of private information, copyright infringement and breach of the Data Protection Act after The Mail On Sunday published sections of a letter she had written to her father, Thomas Markle, in 2018.

Both Meghan and Harry are expected to listen in from Los Angeles to part of the virtual proceedings.

The strike-out hearing is an opportunity for the defendant to apply to the judge to have certain elements of the duchess's case removed ahead of a potential full trial on the issues.

Antony White QC, for Associated Newspapers, said in a reply to the publisher's defence, lawyers for Meghan had made "further assertions of improper, deliberate conduct".

In the reply document, Associated Newspapers is accused of "harassing, humiliating, manipulating and exploiting" Mr Markle, who is described as "vulnerable", Mr White said.

He said those allegations relating to Mr Markle "appear to have been put onto the record without the claimant (Meghan) having contacted her father to see if he agrees with them".

Legal representatives and journalists reporting on the case have dialled in remotely, while the judge, Mr Justice Warby, is at the High Court.

David Sherborne, counsel for Meghan, opened his case saying it is "important to bear in mind" that the case is about privacy, adding that this is "not surprising" given that the publisher "disclosed to the whole world the detailed contents of a private letter of a daughter to her father".

Opening the proceedings, Mr Justice Warby said: It's not a trial, there will be no witnesses and I'm not going to make any findings of fact about the underlying events."

The hearing is scheduled to last a day and it is likely the judge will deliver a written judgment on a later date ahead of a trial.

On Monday, ahead of the hearing, text messages between Harry and Meghan and her father were released in court documents put forward by Meghan's legal team.

The defence issued its central argument in January, stating: "The contents of the letter were not private or confidential, self-evidently or at all."

No trial date has yet been set.

https://news.sky.com/story/meghan-t...-sunday-to-remote-high-court-hearing-11977878
 
I am sorry but these 2 are irrelevant now, seem intent on staying in the news
 
The Duchess of Sussex has lost the first High Court fight against the publishers of The Mail On Sunday.

The case is focused on the newspaper's publication of a letter that Meghan wrote to her estranged father, Thomas Markle.

In a ruling on Friday, Mr Justice Warby struck out parts of the duchess's claim against the Mail on Sunday's publisher, Associated Newspapers, including allegations that it acted "dishonestly" by leaving out certain passages of the letter.

The judge also struck out allegations that the publisher deliberately "stirred up" issues between Meghan and her father, and that it had an "agenda" of publishing intrusive or offensive stories about her.

Mr Justice Warby said those allegations should not form part of her case at this stage, because they were "irrelevant" to her claim for misuse of private information, copyright infringement and breach of the Data Protection Act.

However, he said those parts of her case may be revived at a later stage, if they are put on a proper legal basis.

A spokesman for the Duchess of Sussex said the ruling "makes very clear that the core elements of this case do not change and will continue to move forward".

He added: "Whilst the judge recognises that there is a claim for breach of privacy and copyright, we are surprised to see that his ruling suggests that dishonest behaviour is not relevant."

This is just the first step in a legal process that still has a long way to run. But this decision is bound to bring an element of disappointment for the Sussexes.

The Mail on Sunday has in essence won the first round.

The judge agreed with them that certain parts of Meghan's legal argument just weren't relevant to the heart of the case.

The statement from Meghan's legal team is bullish. They talk about being surprised at the judge's decision that dishonest behaviour was not relevant but make it clear this isn't the end of their fight for what they believe is a very clear and strong case.

Meghan is suing Associated Newspapers over five articles, two in the Mail on Sunday and three on MailOnline, which were published in February 2019.

The articles reproduced parts of a handwritten letter she sent to her father Thomas in August 2018.

A preliminary hearing, in which lawyers for the publisher asked for parts of Meghan's case to be struck out, was held last week.

The judge sat at the Royal Courts of Justice in London and lawyers and reporters attended remotely.

It is understood that Meghan and her husband, the Duke of Sussex, listened online to the parts of the hearing.

Text messages between Harry and Meghan and her father in the lead up to their wedding were revealed in court documents in the case last month.

They showed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex warned Mr Markle that contacting the press would "backfire" and pleaded with him to stop "going public".

The duchess is seeking damages from Associated Newspapers for alleged misuse of private information, copyright infringement and breach of the Data Protection Act.

Meghan has previously said any damages she may be awarded if she wins her case will be donated to an anti-bullying charity.

Associated Newspapers wholly denies the allegations, particularly the claim that the letter was edited in any way that changed its meaning, and says it will hotly contest the case.

Sections of the letter were published in the newspaper and online in February last year, and it was announced in October that the duchess would be taking legal action.

The headline on the main article read: "Revealed: The letter showing true tragedy of Meghan's rift with a father she says has 'broken her heart into a million pieces'."

No date has been set for any further hearing in the case and it is not known when a full trial of the issues is expected to take place.

https://news.sky.com/story/meghan-loses-first-high-court-fight-against-mail-on-sunday-11981727
 
I’ve not been against this pair, but for the first time I am starting to lose patience with them a little bit.

Meghan Markle seems to be addicted to publicity (any kind - good or bad) and Harry is being summarily dragged along through her various engagements, with more than a faint whiff of reluctance about his words and body language whilst he does so I must say.

Bit of a bleak prediction coming up from me here, but I just get a gut feeling that their marriage won’t last. It all feels a bit chaotic, disunited and sad, and doesn’t have the look of longevity about it. I feel some sympathy for their young child, to be honest.

I can see Harry returning to his royal duties within five years.
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">London's High Court rejects part of a claim brought by Meghan, Britain's Duchess of Sussex, against a tabloid newspaper for breaching her privacy <a href="https://t.co/rS7aAMjBKd">https://t.co/rS7aAMjBKd</a> <a href="https://t.co/vX7FyvaKfP">pic.twitter.com/vX7FyvaKfP</a></p>— Reuters (@Reuters) <a href="https://twitter.com/Reuters/status/1256244488252596224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Harry and Meghan sign with A-list agency to hit the speaking circuit

Prince Harry and wife Meghan are ready to hit the speakers’ circuit after signing with an agency that works with former U.S. President Obama and other high-profile clients, according to a person familiar with their plans.

The pair is being represented by the New York-based Harry Walker Agency, whose roster of speakers includes Barack and Michelle Obama, Bill and Hillary Clinton and Oprah Winfrey, the person said on Wednesday.

The move is one of the first major steps by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to engage in paid work beyond the British royal family after they announced plans in January to lead a more independent life and to finance it themselves. They now live in Los Angeles with their 1-year-old son Archie, according to media reports.

The couple’s speaking engagements will focus on issues such as racial justice, gender equity, the environment and mental health, an important topic to Prince Harry who has talked publicly about his struggles with grief following the death of his mother, Princess Diana.

The pair will speak together and individually, the person familiar with their plans said.

The arrangement with Harry Walker, owned by media company Endeavor, was first reported by the Los Angeles Times.

The speaking circuit can be lucrative for high-profile celebrities. Big-name speakers can earn six figures for a single appearance.

Meghan recently narrated a Disney nature documentary and Harry teamed with Winfrey for an upcoming mental health documentary. Both projects were in the works before they stepped back from the royal family.

Harry and Meghan also have supported charitable causes. On Tuesday, they donned hair nets, aprons and face masks to bake with employees of Homeboy Industries, a Los Angeles-based social justice organization that hires former prisoners and gang members.

https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-b...ncy-to-hit-the-speaking-circuit-idUKKBN23V2VB
 
The Duchess of Sussex felt "unprotected" by the Royal Family while she was pregnant, new court documents reveal.

Meghan, 38, claims the "institution" of the monarchy failed to protect her after she became "the subject of a large number of false and damaging articles" in the press while she was pregnant with her son, which caused her "tremendous emotional distress and damage to her mental health".

The claims are made in new papers lodged by the duchess's legal team in her ongoing case against The Mail on Sunday and its owners Associated Newspaper Limited (ANL).

The duchess is suing ANL, which also owns MailOnline and the Daily Mail, over a Mail on Sunday article that reproduced sections of a handwritten note she sent to her estranged father Thomas Markle, 75, in August 2018.

Lawyers for the duchess claim the story breached her privacy.

The document claims Meghan felt "prohibited" from defending herself against "falsehoods" about her published by the Mail on Sunday before she and Prince Harry decided to step down as senior royals and move to Los Angeles.

It adds: "As her friends had never seen her in this state before, they were rightly concerned for her welfare, specifically as she was pregnant, unprotected by the institution, and prohibited from defending herself."

Associated Newspapers claims it only included the letter because it had already been referenced by Meghan's friends in an interview with People magazine in the US.

The duchess identifies the five friends who gave the People interview, but refers to them only as friends A, B, C, D and E, and denies she authorised them to do it.

In the article, published in February last year, they spoke out against the bullying she said she has faced.

They could be called to testify if the case goes to trial, but no dates have been suggested for a potential hearing.

The documents also reveal Meghan hit out at claims the article was in the public interest - because the taxpayer helped pay for her wedding.

She claims the wedding generated £1bn in tourism revenue, which far outweighed the public money spent "solely on security and crowd control" at the request of the police.

The 38-year-old also points out that other members of the Royal Family, including Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie "undertake paid work" as royals - and they did not suffer the same treatment.

In May, a High Court judge struck out the first part of the duchess's claim, including allegations the Mail on Sunday publisher acted "dishonestly" by only including certain parts of her father's letter.

https://news.sky.com/story/meghan-f...-was-pregnant-court-documents-reveal-12019251
 
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have spoken to young leaders about equal rights - with Harry saying the wrongs of the past need to be acknowledged.

Prince Harry and Meghan dialled into the Queen's Commonwealth Trust weekly video call, which focused on responding to the Black Lives Matter movement.

Harry, president of the QCT, told them: "There is no turning back now, everything is coming to a head."

His wife Meghan added that equality is a fundamental human right.

The duchess, vice president of QCT, said on the call: "We're going to have to be a little uncomfortable right now, because it's only in pushing through that discomfort that we get to the other side of this and find the place where a high tide raises all ships.

"Equality does not put anyone on the back foot, it puts us all on the same footing - which is a fundamental human right."


The couple, speaking from their Los Angeles home, said they had discussed the issues many times in the past weeks.
The duke said on the 1 July call: "When you look across the Commonwealth, there is no way that we can move forward unless we acknowledge the past.

"So many people have done such an incredible job of acknowledging the past and trying to right those wrongs, but I think we all acknowledge there is so much more still to do.

"It's not going to be easy and in some cases it's not going to be comfortable, but it needs to be done, because, guess what, everybody benefits."

He added that "all of us have been educated to see the world differently" but that it was important to acknowledge unconscious bias exists and then "do the work to become more aware".

Prince Harry joked he was "aging", as a 35-year-old - prompting his wife to retort "that's not aging!" - but that he felt optimistic about change when speaking to the young people.

"This change is needed and it's coming," he said. "The optimism and the hope that we get is from listening and speaking to people like you, because there is no turning back now, everything is coming to a head.

"Solutions exist and change is happening far quicker than it ever has done before."

QCT has been running weekly discussions with young people, looking at different forms of injustice.

Prince Harry and Meghan kept their roles with the trust after stepping down as senior working royals earlier this year. As part of that move, he stepped down from his position as Commonwealth Youth Ambassador.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53310896
 
The Duchess of Sussex has applied to the High Court to stop The Mail and Mail on Sunday from revealing the names of five of her friends in her ongoing lawsuit against the papers' publisher, according to a source close to Meghan.

The women's names were given to the judge and to the Mail for its defence, confidentially, by the duchess last week as part of the legal proceedings, the source said, claiming the threat to identify them was "an attempt to intimidate the duchess and her friends".

As part of today's court filing, the duchess provided a witness statement in which she accused the Mail on Sunday of "playing a media game with real lives".

"Each of these women is a private citizen, young mother, and each has a basic right to privacy," she said, claiming the threat to expose them was "for no reason other than clickbait and commercial gain".

She said the move was "vicious" and one that "poses a threat to their emotional and mental wellbeing".

The duchess is suing ANL, which also owns MailOnline and the Daily Mail, over a Mail on Sunday article that reproduced sections of a handwritten note she sent to her estranged father Thomas Markle, 75, in August 2018.

Associated Newspapers claims it only included the letter because it had already been referenced by Meghan's friends in an interview with People magazine in the US.

The duchess identifies the five friends who gave the People interview, but refers to them only as friends A, B, C, D and E, and denies she authorised them to do it.

In the article, published in February last year, they spoke out against the bullying she said she has faced.

They could be called to testify if the case goes to trial, but no dates have been suggested for a potential hearing.

"These five women are not on trial, and nor am I," the duchess said in her statement. "The publisher of the Mail on Sunday is the one on trial. It is this publisher that acted unlawfully and is attempting to evade accountability; to create a circus and distract from the point of this case - that the Mail on Sunday unlawfully published my private letter."

Sky News has contacted the Mail group for comment.

Last week, Meghan claimed in court documents that she felt "unprotected" by the Royal Family while she was pregnant with Archie. She claimed the "institution" of the monarchy failed to protect her from "emotionally-distressing" articles about her.

Sky's royal correspondent Rhiannon Mills said: "It has become very clear speaking to sources close to the Duchess of Sussex that they do believe that the newspaper and their lawyers are playing a game.

"They feel that they are trying to manipulate the narrative around this court case.

"Every week we seem to have a twist and turn.

"It shows that brinkmanship between the two sides, and that neither said has the intention of backing down."

https://news.sky.com/story/meghan-t...-five-of-her-friends-in-court-battle-12024606
 
The Duchess of Sussex has talked about the need to "drown out the noise" of negative voices and speak out "even when it makes others feel uneasy", in her most high-profile speech since stepping away from royal life.

In a pre-recorded video, Meghan delivered a keynote speech at the Girl Up 2020 Leadership Summit, as part of a session called "The Time Is Now".

In her message aimed at the audience of young women, she said: "There will always be negative voices and sometimes those voices can appear to be outsized, and sometimes they can appear to be painfully loud.

"You can and will use your own voices to drown out the noise. Because that's what it is - just noise.

"But your voices are those of truth. And hope. And your voices can and should be much louder."

Praising the young activists for the work they're already doing to raise awareness of racial justice, climate change, mental health, civic engagement and public service, she added "believing in true equality is not enough - it's going to take more than belief, we have to work for it every day; even when it's hard and even when it makes others feel uneasy.

"We have to speak up for ourselves and we have to speak out for others who struggle to be heard."

Girl Up was founded by the UN Foundation in 2010 to help support UN agencies that focus on adolescent girls.

The 2020 Girl Up Leadership Summit is its biggest yet, with nearly 40,000 attendees, aged 13-22, across 172 countries.

Due to COVID-19, the summit is being held entirely online. Other high-profile speakers involved include Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton.

In January, Harry and Meghan announced their plans to step away from royal life and become financially independent.

As the couple have set up their new life in America with their son Archie, Meghan's court case against the Mail on Sunday and the Sussexes' dislike of the British tabloid press has continued to make headlines.

While Meghan's video message was aimed at encouraging young women to take a stand and speak up, she also appeared to subtly allude to some of her own struggles at being heard and understood.

She said: "Look, sometimes it's not obvious what to do. Often, it's fear that paralyses us and stops us from being brave and being bold. But don't underestimate that you have some of the answers.

"Don't underestimate your ability to push through the fear. You have, rooted in your convictions, the ability to craft a world that you know is just and kind.

"Your gut will tell you what's right and what's wrong; what's fair and unfair. The hardest part - and it was the hardest part for me - is to chase your convictions with action."

As a working member of the Royal Family, there are inevitably constraints in what she could say.

The couple, now based in California, are helping raise funds for non-profit Save The Children's coronavirus appeal. Pic: Save the Children

The Duchess of Sussex reads to son Archie
In this message, she appeared to gently nudge international leaders and policy makers to listen more to young people.

She said to the largely teenage online audience: "I want to share something with you. It's that those in the halls and corridors and places of power - from lawmakers and world leaders to executives - all of those people, they depend on you more than you will ever depend on them. And here's the thing: They know this."

Before she married Harry, issues around gender equity, civic engagement, youth empowerment, and promoting a digital community that's healthy and safe were key areas of Meghan's philanthropic work.

Her recent video messages during lockdown have shown how they continue to be the cornerstones of her non-royal working life.

https://news.sky.com/story/meghan-t...-speech-at-girl-up-leadership-summit-12028477
 
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles after drones were allegedly used to photograph their 14-month-old son Archie in the back garden of their home.

The couple is alleging their privacy was breached by unnamed photographers, a way of allowing them to use subpoenas to pursue anyone trying to sell the photos until they can be identified.

In the complaint, which was filed on Thursday, the couple said they were not seeking special treatment and expected to be followed by the media when in public, but that they drew the line at photographers invading the privacy of their home.

The lawsuit said Harry and Meghan had moved from the UK to Canada at the beginning of the year and enjoyed six weeks undisturbed before their location was published by the Daily Mail.

They had moved to a gated community in the greater Los Angeles area shortly afterwards, but once again had their location published by the same newspaper.

The resulting paparazzi interest included drones being flown as low as 20ft above the house as often as three times a day.


Helicopters also hovered over the home as early as 5.30am and as late as 7pm, disturbing neighbours and waking baby Archie.

Some photographers even cut holes in the security fence around the home, the complaint alleges.

The family tried to ignore these but a recent incident was described as having "crossed a red line for any parent".

Harry and Meghan said someone had been selling photos of Archie, falsely claiming to have taken them during a recent public outing in Malibu, despite Archie never having been in public or in Malibu since the family arrived in the US.

The couple allege that the photos were instead taken of activities in the back yard of their home, without their knowledge.

The court documents said: "The unscrupulous people shopping these photographs have not innocently mislabelled the photographs as having been taken in a public place.

"They have done so intentionally, because they know that unsolicited photographs of a young child in the privacy of his own home are very much unlawful."

The couple had "done everything in their power to stay out of the limelight", the complaint said, with the exception of their work, which they admitted was newsworthy.

"But the photos at issue are not news," it continued. "They are not in the public interest. They are harassment.

"The sole point to taking and/or selling such invasive photos is to profit from a child. Such sales, in turn, stoke the paparazzi market and lead to ever more harassment.

"The fact that the images at issue remain in the possession of an unknown adult, having already been shown and shared to hundreds if not thousands of potential buyers, is disgusting and wrong."

LA County Superior Court has confirmed to Sky News that the lawsuit has been filed and given a case number.

A statement from the couple's lawyers added: "Every individual and family member in California is guaranteed by law the right to privacy in their home. No drones, helicopters or telephoto lenses can take away that right.

"The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are filing this lawsuit to protect their young son's right to privacy in their home without intrusion by photographers, and to uncover and stop those who seek to profit from these illegal actions."

https://news.sky.com/story/fabinhos...brated-liverpools-premier-league-win-12035072
 
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have denied contributing to a new book about their life in the Royal Family.

The book, Finding Freedom - which is being serialised in the Times - has claimed the Sussexes and Cambridges were barely speaking by March.

It also says friends of Prince Harry and Meghan referred to some Palace officials as "vipers".

A spokesman for the Sussexes, who now live in California, said they had not been interviewed for the book.

A statement said: "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were not interviewed and did not contribute to Finding Freedom.

"This book is based on the authors' own experiences as members of the royal press corps and their own independent reporting."

The book's authors, Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, describe a culture of increasing tension between the Sussexes and other members of the Royal Family.

They say the Sussexes felt their complaints were not taken seriously and believed other royal households were leaking stories about them to the press.

"There were just a handful of people working at the palace they could trust," the authors write.

"A friend of the couple's referred to the old guard as 'the vipers'.

"Meanwhile, a frustrated palace staffer described the Sussexes' team as 'the squeaky third wheel' of the palace."

The duke and duchess are now based in Los Angeles, California, having stepped back as senior royals earlier this year.

For their last public appearance as working members of the Royal Family, they joined the Queen and other senior royals at the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey on 9 March.

They have since begun their new life of personal independence in the US, pursuing charity projects.

Earlier this month, Meghan delivered a rousing speech to a gender equality summit, while the duke and duchess also spoke to young people about equal rights during the Queen's Commonwealth Trust weekly video call.

Meanwhile, the Sussexes have launched legal action in the US after drones were allegedly used to take pictures of their infant son Archie.

The move marked the latest example of the Sussexes actions against what they have previously described as "invasive" tabloid media.

Meghan is also suing the publisher of the Mail on Sunday and Mail Online for breach of privacy and copyright infringement. The publisher denies her claims.


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53535221
 
Prince Harry was left angry at the start of his relationship with Meghan after his brother William referred to her as "this girl".

New extracts from a book about Harry and Meghan's split from the Royal Family claim to reveal details of a conversation between the brothers.

Prince William's alleged words about Meghan were said to have upset Harry. William and Meghan are pictured in 2018
The extracts - quoted in The Sunday Times - explain how Harry heard a "tone of snobbishness" that was "anathema to his approach to the world" in the words "this girl".

The new claims also include the supposed reaction of the wider royals when Meghan first came onto the scene.

"Meghan had often been the topic of conversation and gossip among them. When she arrived in the prince's life, one senior royal referred to the American actress as 'Harry's showgirl'.

"Another told an aide, 'She comes with a lot of baggage.' And a high-ranking courtier was overheard telling a colleague, 'There's just something about her I don't trust.'"

When describing Meghan's relationship with Kate, the authors say that the pair never really spent much time together before Meghan and Harry's wedding and they never got any closer afterwards - despite Meghan becoming a senior royal.

But the book adds that while there were some "awkward moments", the duo never had a falling out.

It says: "Meghan would agree with the assessment that the duchesses were not the best of friends. Their relationship hadn't progressed much since she was Harry's girlfriend.

"But they were not at war with each other, either. There were awkward moments, such as the day the women happened to cross paths at Kensington Palace (in early 2017, when Harry and Meghan were still only dating), and although both were heading out to go shopping - in the same street - Kate went in her own Range Rover."

The Sussexes, who married in 2018, now live in Los Angeles with their 14-month-old son Archie after stepping down from royal duties in March.

While the media speculated that Meghan was behind the decision for the couple to step back, the book says she was "willing to do whatever it takes" to make it work.

An earlier extract of the book claims that by March this year, the relationship between the couples was bitter. They are pictured in 2018
Meghan is said to have told a friend in March: "I gave up my entire life for this family. I was willing to do whatever it takes. But here we are. It's very sad."

A previous extract of the book, published on Saturday morning, alleges that the relationship between the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Duke and Duchess of Sussex was extremely bitter by March this year, and they didn't even speak during a service at Westminster Abbey.

"While Harry and Meghan both greeted William and Kate with smiles, the Cambridges showed little response," the book says. "It was the first time the two couples had seen each other since January."

The book claims William nodded at Harry to acknowledge him, but ignored Meghan.

"Although Meghan tried to make eye contact with Kate, the duchess barely acknowledged her," the book adds.

But, according to the authors, the rift stemmed from Harry feeling suffocated by his brother, rather than the "duelling duchesses".

The authors wrote: "The truth was that Meghan and Kate just didn't know each other that well."

But rumours that Meghan made Kate cry during a bridesmaid's dress fitting for Princess Charlotte are false, the book insists.

Those present were "puzzled" at reports Meghan's "strict demands" had left Kate in tears and a source who was there said: "Some of the children weren't co-operating, and there was a lot going on.

"Everyone tried to help where they could, but it's never easy with kids at fittings. There were no tears from anyone.

"And in the end, the fitting was fine. Kate and Meghan were both a little stressed but professional in the room, and there were other people there."

The book also claims Meghan felt sorry for her estranged father, wanted him at her wedding, and blamed the media for "corrupting" him.

Meghan felt let down when Thomas Markle lied to her by denying he helped the paparazzi stage photos of him going about his life in a Mexican resort town before the royal wedding, but she and Harry were also angry with the media for persisting until he gave in.

According to an unnamed "trusted confidant" of the duchess, Meghan had said: "My dad never sought this out. I really believe that he's the victim, and now I feel sad because I believe he's been fully corrupted."

Mr Markle did not attend the wedding in the end, partly due to a heart attack days beforehand which he blamed on the stress.

"As much as she was hurt and humiliated, she wanted him to be there and was willing to move on," an unidentified friend of Meghan's is quoted as saying.

"Plus, she was worried about him; she honestly wasn't sure if he was actually OK. His behaviour was bizarre."

A spokesperson for Meghan and Harry said: "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were not interviewed and did not contribute to Finding Freedom."

"This book is based on the authors' own experiences as members of the royal press corps and their own independent reporting," the statement added.

Finding Freedom is due to be published in August and is being serialised in The Times and The Sunday Times.

https://news.sky.com/story/william-...-meghan-caused-rift-between-brothers-12036176
 
The Duchess of Sussex has asked a court to keep her friends who gave a magazine interview anonymous, in her legal action against the Mail on Sunday.

She is suing the newspaper's publisher for breach of privacy and copyright infringement after it reproduced parts of a letter sent to her father in 2018.

The publisher, which denies the claims, argued her friends could be witnesses, saying the letter was first referenced in their interview.

Meghan said they had a privacy "right".

The application to maintain her friends' anonymity was heard at London's High Court, as part of the duchess's legal action against Associated Newspapers Limited.

Neither Meghan nor Prince Harry attended the latest hearing on Wednesday.

In an article in People magazine in February 2019, five friends anonymously spoke out against the bullying Meghan said she had faced from Britain's tabloid media.

They have only been identified in confidential court documents.

In a witness statement submitted to the High Court, the duchess said Associated Newspapers, the publisher of the Mail on Sunday, was "threatening to publish the names of five women".

"Each of these women is a private citizen, young mother, and each has a basic right to privacy," she said.

"Both the Mail on Sunday and the court system have their names on a confidential schedule, but for the Mail on Sunday to expose them in the public domain for no reason other than clickbait and commercial gain is vicious and poses a threat to their emotional and mental wellbeing.

"The Mail on Sunday is playing a media game with real lives."

In court documents for the hearing, Meghan's lawyers argued the friends have a right to anonymity both as confidential journalistic sources and under their own privacy rights.

Justin Rushbrooke QC, representing the duchess, said forcing her to disclose their identities would be "an unacceptably high price" to pay for pursuing her legal action against the newspaper.

'Important potential witnesses'

Lawyers for Associated Newspapers Limited are resisting the application to keep their identities secret, claiming the duchess's friends brought the letter into the public domain when it was referred to for the first time in the People interview.

In written submissions, Antony White QC, acting for the publisher, said the friends were "important potential witnesses on a key issue".

"Reporting these matters without referring to names would be a heavy curtailment of the media's and the defendant's entitlement to report this case and the public's right to know about it," he said.

"No friend's oral evidence could be fully and properly reported because full reporting might identify her, especially as there has already been media speculation as to their identities."

Mr Justice Warby said he would give his decision on the duchess's application in writing at a later date.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are now based in California, having stepped back as senior royals at the end of March.

Meghan is seeking damages, which she has said will be donated to an anti-bullying charity, from Associated Newspapers for alleged misuse of private information, copyright infringement and breach of the Data Protection Act.

Associated Newspapers denies the allegations.

Following a preliminary hearing in May, the judge struck out parts of Meghan's claim against the publisher, including allegations that it acted "dishonestly" by leaving out certain passages of the letter from her father.

He also dismissed Meghan's claims that the publisher deliberately "stirred up" issues between Meghan and her father, and that it had an "agenda" of publishing intrusive or offensive stories about her.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-53580064
 
Harry and Meghan 'buy £11m home in Santa Barbara'

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have reportedly bought an £11m home in the celebrity hotspot of Santa Barbara.

The couple were said to be house-hunting in the US before the coronavirus lockdown after moving there from Canada.

Santa Barbara, on the coast of California, is home to stars including Oprah Winfrey and popstar Ariana Grande, while a host of famous names such as actors Jeff Bridges and Rob Lowe and chat show host Ellen DeGeneres have been past residents.

The Sussexes' reported new nine-bedroom house, which is said to have cost $14.65m (£11.1m), includes a games room, home theatre, a lift, a gym and a swimming pool.

Alongside the main house, which stands at 14,500 sq ft, there is also a two-bedroom guesthouse and tennis court.

Harry and Meghan's new estate was bought by a company that matches limited liability companies started by the couple, according to reports.

A spokesman for the couple said: "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex moved into their family home in July of this year.

"They have settled into the quiet privacy of their community since their arrival and hope that this will be respected for their neighbours, as well as for them as a family."

It is understood that the Prince of Wales had no hand in helping purchasing the estate.

It is the latest move by the Duke and Duchess to distance themselves from royal life, after announcing they were stepping back from duties and becoming financially independent earlier this year.

It was announced they would no longer be working members of the monarchy and no longer be known as HRH, while splitting their time between Canada and the UK, with the majority spent in North America.

https://news.sky.com/story/duke-and-duchess-of-sussex-buy-11m-home-in-santa-barbara-12048454
 
The Duchess of Sussex has criticised the "toxicity" of some media attention which she said uses "salacious" stories instead of truthful ones.

Meghan earlier launched a legal battle over articles published in the MailOnline and Mail On Sunday, claiming they breached her privacy after they published parts of a letter written to her estranged father.

Speaking at a virtual event organised by non-profit newsroom The 19th, she said: "There's so much toxicity out there in what's being referred to, my husband and I talk about it often, this economy for attention.

"That is what is monetisable right now when you're looking at the digital space and media.

"So if you are just trying to grab someone's attention and keep it you're going for something salacious versus something truthful."

The duchess said getting to a place where stories are told "through a compassionate or empathetic lens" will "help bind people as a community".

She added: "You want to have trust in journalism and you want to have trust in what you are reading in the hope that it's fact.

"We have become so, sadly, comfortable with the idea that we are just getting all this stuff and it becomes noise as opposed to truth and accurate journalism."

Meghan also said it was "devastating" to return to the US with her husband Prince Harry and see the "state of affairs" it was in.

The couple moved from Canada to the US earlier this year and are said to have bought an £11m home in the Californian celebrity hotspot of Santa Barbara.

Speaking about returning to her home country, Meghan said: "It was so sad to see where our country was in that moment.

"And if there's any silver lining in that I would say that in the weeks that were happening after the murder of George Floyd, in the peaceful protests you were seeing, in the voices that were coming out, in the way that people were actually owning their role and acknowledging their role that they played, either actively or passively, in the discrimination of other people, specifically of the black community.

"It shifted from sadness to a feeling of absolute inspiration because I can see that the tide is turning."

She said she is now looking forward to "using my voice in a way I haven't been able to of late".

Meghan and Harry announced earlier this year that they would be distancing themselves from royal life and becoming financially independent.

They are no longer working members of the monarchy and are no longer known as HRH.

https://news.sky.com/story/meghan-hits-out-at-toxicity-of-media-attention-she-has-faced-12049650
 
BREAKING: Harry and Meghan sign Netflix deal to make films and documentaries

Harry and Meghan have signed a deal with Netflix to create documentaries, feature films and other shows.

It comes after the couple made the shock announcement that they were stepping back as senior royals earlier this year.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be producing films and series for the streaming platform, including scripted series, docu-series, documentaries, features and children's programming.

Releasing a statement, they said: "Our lives, both independent of each other and as a couple, have allowed us to understand the power of the human spirit: of courage, resilience, and the need for connection.

"Through our work with diverse communities and their environments, to shining a light on people and causes around the world, our focus will be on creating content that informs but also gives hope.

"As new parents, making inspirational family programming is also important to us, as is powerful storytelling through a truthful and relatable lens."

Several projects are already in development, including a nature docu-series and an animated series that celebrates inspiring women.

However, Meghan - former star of the legal drama Suits - has no plans to return to acting.

The couple moved from the UK to Canada and then LA with their son, Archie, shortly after their final public engagement as royals in March.

The value of their Netflix deal has not been disclosed, but it marks a big step in the move into paid work.

Ted Sarandos, the co-chief executive and chief content officer of Netflix, said Harry and Meghan had "inspired millions of people all around the world with their authenticity, optimism and leadership".

He continued: "We're incredibly proud they have chosen Netflix as their creative home - and are excited about telling stories with them that can help build resilience and increase understanding for audiences everywhere."

Earlier this year, Meghan narrated a documentary film, Elephant, for Disney+, in her first post-royal role.

Last week, Harry appeared in the Rising Phoenix documentary, about the history and impact of the Paralympic Games, on Netflix.

https://news.sky.com/story/harry-and-meghan-sign-netflix-deal-to-make-films-and-series-12061869
 
Donald Trump has taken a swipe at Meghan Markle after she and Prince Harry urged Americans to vote in the upcoming presidential election.

"I'm not a fan of hers," the US president told reporters at a White House press briefing.

"I would say this - and she has probably has heard that - I wish a lot of luck to Harry because he's going to need it," he added.

It comes after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex effectively endorsed Mr Biden in a recent video clip for Time magazine.

https://news.sky.com/story/trump-ta...ericans-to-vote-im-not-a-fan-of-hers-12079942
 
Harry and Meghan's tour to southern Africa last year cost the taxpayer nearly £246,000, new accounts show.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex took their then four-month-old baby son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor to South Africa in September last year on his first royal overseas trip, with the duke also travelling solo to Angola, Malawi and Botswana.

The flights came to nearly a quarter of a million pounds and were the most expensive royal journey of 2019-2020, according to the royal financial records.

The trip became controversial after Meghan launched legal action against a newspaper and Harry delivered a scathing attack on the tabloid press while the tour was still under way.

Harry and Meghan also filmed an ITV documentary while on the trip in which they spoke of their struggles as royals.

A senior royal source insisted the couple are under no obligation to pay money back for the trip after announcing their decision to quit as senior royals just three months later.

The source stressed it was a key visit approved by the Foreign Office and helped to highlight the work of numerous charities.

The figures also revealed that flights for a two-day visit to Oman taken by Prince of Wales cost £210,345.

The records show that Harry and Meghan have paid rent on Frogmore Cottage for a "number of years" upfront - as well as repaying £2.4m in taxpayers' money that was spent on renovating the Windsor property.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were able to afford the repayment after signing a lucrative deal with Netflix that is rumoured to be worth more than £100m.

Although the couple now live in California, they have kept the Grade II-listed property as their UK base.

News of the upfront rental payments comes after Harry and Meghan fully repaid the renovation costs of Frogmore Cottage earlier this month.

Critics had been calling for them to reimburse the public purse following their decision to step down as working royals for financial and personal freedom.

A senior palace source said that the Sussexes had made a "substantial contribution" to the Sovereign Grant - adding that the figures will only appear in next year's royal accounts.

Meanwhile, Reuters has reported that the rent paid has been set at a commercial rate.

A source told the news agency: "They have fulfilled their current obligations, their debt obligations in relation to Frogmore Cottage, and they have made a payment that will recognise that they have paid for the rental of that property for a number of years.

"There will be a point in the future when they would be expected to make further payments."

Graham Smith, the chief executive of Republic, an anti-monarchy organisation, called for a review of Harry and Meghan's dealings with Frogmore.

He said: "What we have is a family taking advantage of their position (in relation) to public property. They're working out their own finances, doing their own books and then reporting their own finances - there needs to be independent scrutiny.

"I think the Crown Estate has questions to answer about allowing the royals to use the property in this way, and why they are not more open about the financial transactions that go on in relation to the houses they let the royals have."

As part of their Netflix deal, Harry and Meghan will be producing films and series for the streaming platform, including scripted series, docuseries, documentaries, features and children's programming.

The royal accounts for 2019-20 were released, with a warning that there could be a shortfall of £35m because of the coronavirus pandemic.

https://news.sky.com/story/harry-an...africa-was-most-expensive-royal-trip-12080888
 
Harry and Meghan have denied reports they are set to take part in a reality show for Netflix, after signing a deal with the streaming service.

A spokesman for the couple said the duke and duchess "are not taking part in any reality shows" following tabloid reports that a "fly-on-the-wall" series is planned.

Earlier this month, it was announced Harry and Meghan had signed a deal to create documentaries, feature films and other shows for Netflix, rumoured to be worth more than £100m.
 
MenInG said:
Harry and Meghan have denied reports they are set to take part in a reality show for Netflix, after signing a deal with the streaming service.

A spokesman for the couple said the duke and duchess "are not taking part in any reality shows" following tabloid reports that a "fly-on-the-wall" series is planned.

Earlier this month, it was announced Harry and Meghan had signed a deal to create documentaries, feature films and other shows for Netflix, rumoured to be worth more than £100m.
Click to expand...

Why do Harry and Meghan still get called Duke and Duchess? Didn't they give up all of that to live in US like ordinary people?
 
Harry and Meghan call to end 'structural racism'

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have called for the end of structural racism in the UK in a piece written for a newspaper for Black History Month.

Prince Harry and Meghan said there had been changes in the past 30 years but "sufficient progress had not been achieved".

They were writing in the London Evening Standard as they highlighted leaders in the UK's black community.

The couple recently urged voters in the US election to "reject hate".

The duke and duchess have moved to Santa Barbara with their son Archie and agreed a deal to create shows for the streaming service Netflix, having stepped back as senior royals in January.

In the piece they said that "if you are white and British, the world you see often looks just like you" and spoke of the importance for young people of seeing role models and leaders who share the same skin colour as them.

"For as long as structural racism exists, there will be generations of young people of colour who do not start their lives with the same equality of opportunity as their white peers. And for as long as that continues, untapped potential will never get to be realised," they warned.

The duke and duchess concluded the article by saying: "We cannot change history, nor can we edit our past. But we can define our future as one that is inclusive, as one that is equal, and one that is colourful."

In an accompanying interview Meghan said she understood that the Black Lives Matter protests following George Floyd's death in the US had been "inflammatory for a lot of people" but said when there is peaceful protest with the intention of wanting community and equality, "that is a beautiful thing".

She added: "While it has been challenging for a lot of people certainly having to make this reckoning of historical significance that has got people to the place that they are, that is uncomfortable for people. We recognise that. It is uncomfortable for us."

Prince Harry told the paper he accepted some of their views may be seen as "controversial" but said it was an important time to use their platform. He said it was not about "pointing the finger" but was an important time in British and world culture "that we should be grasping and actually celebrating".

They also discussed their son, who Meghan said keeps them on their toes and dance group Diversity's performance on Britain's Got Talent, which the duke said was "the most amazing display".

The list of "Next Gen Trailblazers" was selected by BAME celebrities including rugby player Maro Itoje, Booker-prize winner Bernadine Evaristo and Baroness Doreen Lawrence.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-54372900
 
The Duchess of Sussex has spoken about the "almost unsurvivable" online abuse she experienced in a podcast to mark World Mental Health Day.

Appearing alongside her husband Prince Harry on the popular Teenage Therapy podcast, Meghan said she was told that "in 2019, I was the most trolled person in the entire world - male or female".

"[For] eight months of that, I wasn't even visible, I was on maternity leave with the baby - but what was able to be manufactured and churned out, it's almost unsurvivable, it's so big you can't even think what that feels like," she said.

Introducing themselves as Harry and Meghan, the pair talked about their experiences of loss and grief, with Harry stating that "every single one of us" should be talking about our mental health.

Meghan said her mental health suffered due to the trolling she was targeted with.

"I don't care if you're 15 or 25, if people are saying things about you that aren't true, what that does to your mental and emotional health is so damaging," she said.

This was especially an issue for many during the coronavirus lockdown, she said, when "if you're not in school then you are finding yourself on your devices or online more".

"Yes, it's a great way to connect but it also ends up being a place where there is a lot of disconnected," she added.

"We all know what it feels like to have our feelings hurt, we all know what it feels like to be isolated, and I think that's why the work you guys are doing here is so important," she said.

Harry said it is "very easy to be sucked in and consumed by negativity", but everyone has "the choice to be able to cut that out of our lives".

He said: "Hate following has become a thing, you don't need to do that. Just as much as we worry about, be concerned, and take notice of what we put in our bellies as a diet, the same applies for our eyes and our mind, what we're consuming is affecting us.

"For me, I made the choice not to read it, not to see it, and to remove myself from that, and to very much focus on the uplifting and the hopeful side."

The podcast follows the couple speaking to the London Evening Standard to mark the start of Black History Month, with both sharing their hopes for equality

Harry, 36, explained how he had become more aware of issues surrounding race after his marriage to Meghan, 39.

https://news.sky.com/story/duchess-of-sussex-opens-up-on-almost-unsurvivable-online-abuse-12101170
 
The Duchess of Sussex has said she avoids saying anything too "controversial" for fear of putting her family "in a position of risk".

Speaking at a virtual summit, Meghan said she instead chose to talk about "fairly straight forward" topics "like exercising your right to vote".

But she said she would not feel proud as a mother if she had not tried to "make this world better" for her son.

The duke and duchess recently urged US voters to "reject hate speech".

The Duke of Sussex made the remarks in a television broadcast alongside his wife last month - their first joint TV appearance since they ceased being working members of the Royal Family earlier this year.

The couple also urged US citizens to vote in the country's upcoming presidential election.

A spokesperson for the Sussexes said the comments did not refer to any specific political party or candidate, but were instead "a call for decency".

Harry and Meghan call to end 'structural racism'George Floyd's life mattered - Duchess of Sussex

Appearing at Fortune's members-only Most Powerful Women Next Gen Summit on Tuesday, Meghan was asked whether motherhood had made her more courageous or more cautious.

Speaking from her home in California, she replied: "It's interesting because my gut is that it makes you more courageous.

"It makes you so concerned for the world they're going to inherit, and so the things that you're able to tolerate on your own are not the same.

"You go every single day: 'How can I make this better for him? How can I make this world better for Archie?' And that is a shared belief between my husband and I.

"At the same time, I am cautious of putting my family in a position of risk by certain things, and so I try to be rather very clear with what I say and to not make it controversial, but instead to talk about things that seem fairly straight forward - like exercising your right to vote."

She added: "As a parent I can enjoy all the fun and silliness and games with my son, but I wouldn't be able to feel proud of myself as a mom if I didn't know that I wasn't doing my part to make it a better place for him."

Asked about her views on social media she compared it to an "addiction" for some, which could be "unhealthy", adding that she does not have any online accounts for her "own self-preservation".

The duchess closed her personal Twitter, Instagram and Facebook accounts four months before she married the Duke of Sussex, while her lifestyle blog thetig.com shut down in 2017.

Since stepping back as a working member of the Royal Family in March, Meghan has spoken out on issues including racism and the death of African-American George Floyd in the US.

The couple gave up their roles as senior royals in a bid for personal and financial freedom. They now live in the US but are still members of the Royal Family.
 
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Duchess of Sussex: Privacy trial against Mail on Sunday postponed
Published2 hours ago
Duchess of Sussex
IMAGE COPYRIGHTREUTERS
The Duchess of Sussex has been granted a postponement of her privacy trial against the Mail on Sunday until autumn next year, at a High Court hearing.

The judge said the trial, due to be held in January 2021, was adjourned for "confidential" reasons after a request by Meghan's lawyers.

The duchess is suing the newspaper for invasion of privacy and copyright infringement over the publication of a letter she wrote to her father.

The publisher denies the allegations.

Associated Newspapers - the publisher of the Mail on Sunday, Daily Mail and MailOnline - is being sued over five articles, from February 2019, which reproduced parts of a letter sent to Thomas Markle.

The publisher did not oppose Meghan's application for a delay but asked the judge to consider Mr Markle's situation, saying he is "elderly and sick" but wants and intends to give evidence at trial.

Mr Justice Warby said other reasons put forward by the duchess's lawyers in support of the postponement included her request for summary judgment - a legal step which would see the case resolved without a trial.

Meghan and Harry book can be used in privacy case
Meghan bids to keep friends' identities secret
Meghan's father 'would testify in privacy case'
The judge granted permission for the duchess to apply for the whole case to be dismissed on the basis, her lawyers say, that the evidence in her favour is "overwhelming". This will be decided at a hearing in January.

Mr Justice Warby told London's High Court that the hearing on Thursday morning was held in private to protect "the confidentiality of the information relied on" by Meghan in her application to postpone the trial.

He said the confidential information was the "primary" reason for the duchess wanting the trial to be adjourned.

Granting the request by Meghan's lawyers, Mr Justice Warby said: "The right decision in all the circumstances is to grant the application to adjourn.

"That means that the trial date of January 11 2021 will be vacated and the trial will be re-fixed for a new date in the autumn."

The duchess has asked for the trial not to be held before 15 October next year.

Later in the hearing, Mr Justice Warby refused Meghan's application for permission to appeal against a previous decision that the Mail On Sunday's publisher could rely on a recent biography of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Finding Freedom, in its defence to her privacy claim.

At a hearing in September, the publisher argued that the Sussexes had "collaborated" with the book's authors. The duchess's lawyers said that was a "conspiracy theory".

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-54734337
 
The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, has revealed she had a miscarriage in July, writing in an article of feeling "an almost unbearable grief".

"I knew, as I clutched my firstborn child, that I was losing my second," Meghan said in a piece for the New York Times .

Meghan and Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, had their first child, Archie, on 6 May 2019.

Meghan wrote that "loss and pain have plagued every one of us in 2020".

She said in a morning in July this year, she felt a "sharp cramp" and hours later, from a hospital bed, watched "my husband's heart break as he tried to hold the shattered pieces of mine".

Meghan, 39, shared her experience to urge people to "commit to asking others, 'are you OK?'" over the Thanksgiving holiday in the US.

The duke and duchess moved to California to live away from the media spotlight, after stepping back as senior royals in January.

Source BBC
 
Harry and Meghan sign multi-year podcast deal with Spotify

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have announced a multi-year partnership with Spotify to produce and host podcasts that highlight and elevate diverse perspectives and voices.

The move follows the couple’s multi-million pound Netflix deal that will see them produce documentaries and feature films for the streaming service.

The couple’s latest business venture will involve Archewell Audio, their newly-formed audio-first production company, in an exclusive partnership with Spotify, producing “programming that uplifts and entertains audiences around the world”, the digital service said.

In a statement, the couple said: “What we love about podcasting is that it reminds us all to take a moment and to really listen, to connect to one another without distraction.

Read more:

“With the challenges of 2020, there has never been a more important time to do so, because when we hear each other, and hear each other’s stories, we are reminded of how interconnected we all are.”

The Sussexes will host and produce podcasts, “that build community through shared experiences, narratives and values”, Spotify said.

Later this month Archewell Audio, in partnership with Spotify’s Gimlet studio, will release a holiday special hosted by the couple “that will feature stories of hope and compassion from inspirational guests in celebration of the new year”.

“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex may live in California but the power of their voices rests in their status as citizens of the world. That they are embracing the extraordinary capacity of podcasts on Spotify while also seeking to elevate underrepresented voices is a testament to their appreciation for the potential of audio storytelling,” said Spotify chief content and advertising business officer, Dawn Ostroff.

The first complete series from Archewell Audio is expected next year. But a teaser for their upcoming holiday special is available to hear.

Earlier this week it emerged Meghan had invested in a Californian startup that makes instant oat milk lattes, Clevr Blends, which describes itself as “the world’s first instant oat milk latte”.

Meghan has been described as an “adviser” to the female-led company producing the new vegan oat latte, which is based in Montecito, where she and Harry and their son Archie now live.

In a statement, in which she did not reveal her financial stake in the company, she said it was to support “a passionate female entrepreneur who prioritises building community alongside her business”. Clevr Blends is led by British CEO, Hannah Mendoza.

Meghan added: “I’m proud to invest in Hannah’s commitment to sourcing ethical ingredients and creating a product that I personally love and has a holistic approach to wellness.”

The hitherto little-known range garnered huge publicity after chat show host Oprah Winfrey, a friends of the duchess, promoted it to her 20 million Instagram followers as her “new drink of choice”. Winfrey, a guest at the Sussexes’ wedding, wrote how “on the first day of Christmas my neighbour M sent to me ... a basket of deliciousness!”. She added: “Yes, that M”, followed by a crown emoji.

As part of their agreement with Buckingham Palace when they announced they were stepping down as working royals, the couple have agreed not to involve themselves in any business ventures that could reflect badly on or compromise the monarchy.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news...han-sign-multi-year-podcast-deal-with-spotify
 
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex settled a claim against a celebrity picture agency which took "unlawful, invasive and intrusive" photos of Meghan and their son Archie, the High Court has heard.

The couple brought legal action against Splash News over "long lens" snaps taken of the duchess as she strolled in a Canadian park in January, with then eight-month-old Archie.
 
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are expecting their second child together, it has been confirmed.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex celebrated the birth of their son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor in 2019 - and he is now set to become a big brother.

A spokesperson for the couple said: “The Duke and Duchess are overjoyed to be expecting their second child.”

Their second child will become the eighth in line to the throne as the Queen and Prince Philip’s grandchild.
 
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have told the Queen they will not return as working members of Royal Family, Buckingham Palace says.

A statement from the palace said the royals were "saddened by their decision" but that Harry and Meghan "remain much loved members of the family".

Honorary military appointments and royal patronages held by the couple - such as Harry's affiliation with the Royal Marines - will be returned to the Queen and "redistributed among working members of The Royal Family".

Sky's royal correspondent, Rhiannon Mills, said it appeared that "tense discussions" had been held behind the scenes about the couple's future.

SKY
 
So the royals would rather defend a white peodophile and abuser than a black wife of a prince..Good on Harry and Meghan..I hope they do very well in the US away from this racist nazi loving family.
 
the Great Khan said:
So the royals would rather defend a white peodophile and abuser than a black wife of a prince..Good on Harry and Meghan..I hope they do very well in the US away from this racist nazi loving family.
Click to expand...

Bro, what did you think?

Just imagine how racist the average individual is around the world.

And then understand this is the British Royal Family.
 
the Great Khan said:
So the royals would rather defend a white peodophile and abuser than a black wife of a prince..Good on Harry and Meghan..I hope they do very well in the US away from this racist nazi loving family.
Click to expand...

ManFan said:
Bro, what did you think?

Just imagine how racist the average individual is around the world.

And then understand this is the British Royal Family.
Click to expand...

Harry is also a racist. He wore a Nazi uniform and is on camera using the P word against a brown fellow soldiers.

I wish these clowns would just go away now.
 
the Great Khan said:
So the royals would rather defend a white peodophile and abuser than a black wife of a prince..Good on Harry and Meghan..I hope they do very well in the US away from this racist nazi loving family.
Click to expand...

That’s a bit of a stretch. There is no “defend”. The Queen has said nothing as ever. Prince Andrew has withdrawn from public life completely. All charities and regiments he was patron of have disassociated from him.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have chosen to leave the U.K. and Royal duties. It’s sad because the Duke is such a huge asset, highly popular and supportive of military charities.

The problem is the press. Their reporting of of the Duchess is racist and untrue. The boy Duke walked behind a gun carriage carrying his mother who was hounded to death by the press. He won’t see the same happen to his wife and mother of his kids. Again, the Queen says nothing. She never comments on anything.
 
KingKhanWC said:
Harry is also a racist. He wore a Nazi uniform and is on camera using the P word against a brown fellow soldiers..
Click to expand...

So he did and said stupid things when he was younger, as we all do.

Then he married a woman of colour.

I think it is safe to say that his attitudes have changed.
 
Robert said:
That’s a bit of a stretch. There is no “defend”. The Queen has said nothing as ever. Prince Andrew has withdrawn from public life completely. All charities and regiments he was patron of have disassociated from him.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have chosen to leave the U.K. and Royal duties. It’s sad because the Duke is such a huge asset, highly popular and supportive of military charities.

The problem is the press. Their reporting of of the Duchess is racist and untrue. The boy Duke walked behind a gun carriage carrying his mother who was hounded to death by the press. He won’t see the same happen to his wife and mother of his kids. Again, the Queen says nothing. She never comments on anything.
Click to expand...

so here's a question for you, as you are in a mixed marriage what is your take on how they have been treated overall? I feel there was a lot of micro aggression they had to deal with, some very blatant racism and the royals themselves inmho were not very friendly to Meghan. How did you find it when you got married etc?
 
the Great Khan said:
so here's a question for you, as you are in a mixed marriage what is your take on how they have been treated overall? I feel there was a lot of micro aggression they had to deal with, some very blatant racism and the royals themselves inmho were not very friendly to Meghan. How did you find it when you got married etc?
Click to expand...

I’m disgusted by Duchess Meghan’s treatment by the press. You can compare headline by headline the fawning treatment of Duchess Catherine with the character assassination of her sister-in-law.

Mrs Robert doesn’t face microaggression when I am in the room, but plenty when I am not. With one glaring exception at a Dublin hotel where we didn’t receive table service for fifteen minutes while every other couple was served within seconds of sitting down. I had to complain to the manager to get service.
 
Robert said:
So he did and said stupid things when he was younger, as we all do.

Then he married a woman of colour.

I think it is safe to say that his attitudes have changed.
Click to expand...

All of Harry's racist past are excused because he is now married to a black women.
 
Robert said:
Sure, it’s pretty obvious that he has changed and grown.
Click to expand...

Just wait for a few more years and when Meghan divorces Harry, Meghan will write a book to claim that Harry did not treat her as his equal and had a prejudice against her. Hollywood exports love drama.
 
:))
"Then he married a woman of colour."
This was hilarious [MENTION=7774]Robert[/MENTION]
 
Robert said:
Wasn’t meant to be....
Click to expand...

So he did and said stupid things when he was younger, as we all do.

Then he married a woman of colour.
As in this.was the get out of jail card - for any racist episode of the guy

This is called unintentional comedy...
Oh boy I'm not joking I genuinely Laughed so.hard while reading this
 
Robert said:
So he did and said stupid things when he was younger, as we all do.

Then he married a woman of colour.

I think it is safe to say that his attitudes have changed.
Click to expand...

She's not black but mixed. He was racist towards a Pakistani serving in the forces with him. Marry Megan doesnt mean he still doesnt hold racist views to other people of colour.

Racism shouldnt be tolerated even after years, he is a little numpty and a clown who should move on and stop taking taxpayers money now.
 
Robert said:
So he did and said stupid things when he was younger, as we all do.

Then he married a woman of colour.

I think it is safe to say that his attitudes have changed.
Click to expand...

She's not black but mixed. He was racist towards a Pakistani serving in the forces with him. Marry Megan doesnt mean he still doesnt hold racist views to other people of colour.

Racism shouldnt be tolerated even after years, he is a little numpty and a clown who should move on and stop taking taxpayers money now.
 
The Duchess of Sussex is "saddened" by a report she faced a bullying complaint during her time at Kensington Palace, her spokesman has said.

The Times newspaper says Meghan allegedly drove two personal assistants out of the household and undermined the confidence of a third member of staff.

Meghan's spokesman said it was the "latest attack on her character".

It comes before Meghan and Prince Harry's TV interview with Oprah Winfrey is due to be aired in the UK on Monday.

The duchess lived at Kensington Palace for nearly a year after her marriage to Prince Harry in May 2018.
 
Buckingham Palace has said it is "very concerned" by claims that former staff of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were bullied and has pledged to investigate the allegations.

The Duchess of Sussex has been accused of driving two personal assistants out of the household and undermining the confidence of a third employee during her time as working royal, The Times reported on Tuesday night.

Responding to the claims, Buckingham Palace said in a statement on Wednesday evening: "We are clearly very concerned about allegations in The Times following claims made by former staff of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

"Accordingly our HR team will look into the circumstances outlined in the article. Members of staff involved at the time, including those who have left the Household, will be invited to participate to see if lessons can be learned.

"The Royal Household has had a Dignity at Work policy in place for a number of years and does not and will not tolerate bullying or harassment in the workplace."

After the allegations emerged, the Duchess of Sussex claimed she was the victim of a “smear campaign”.

A spokesman for the Sussexes told The Telegraph: "The Duchess is saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma.

"She is determined to continue her work building compassion around the world and will keep striving to set an example for doing what is right and doing what is good."

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/roya...sex-bullying-claims/ar-BB1ecYaZ?ocid=msedgntp
 
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are interviewed by Oprah Winfrey for a two-hour CBS primetime special

Oprah with Meghan and Harry: A Primetime Special, is produced by Harpo Productions

The interview will be broadcast in the UK on Monday night on ITV at 21:00 GMT and on ITV Hub

Among a raft of revelations, Meghan says she had times when she "didn't want to be alive anymore"

Meghan says one member of the Royal Family had concerns about how dark her son Archie's skin would be

Harry says he has now been "cut off" financially, which is why the couple sought Netflix and Spotify deals

She says she was naive when she joined the family, and was surprised when she was asked to curtsy when she met the Queen
Prince Harry reveals their new baby - due in the summer - is a girl

Meghan reveals she and Prince Harry were married in a simple ceremony three days before their lavish wedding, which was "for the world"

The interview comes after Harry and Meghan decided to step back as senior members of the Royal Family last year

Harry and Meghan first met on a blind date arranged by a mutual friend in 2016, and married in 2018
 
Meghan and Harry's tell-all interview with Oprah has aired in the US, with the Duchess of Sussex claiming "concerns" were raised about baby Archie's skin colour before he was born and saying she had suicidal thoughts during her time in the Royal Family.

American audiences were the first to see the two-hour Oprah With Meghan And Harry: A Primetime Special, in which the couple made a series of bombshell claims - including Harry saying Prince Charles had at one point stopped taking his calls, and alleging he had been "trapped" in the royal system, "like the rest of my family".

The couple also discussed racism, with Harry saying it "hurt" that his family did not speak out against articles "with colonial undertones" written about his wife.

Meghan told Oprah she married into the royals "naively, because I didn't grow up knowing much about the Royal Family".

While the couple were respectful of the Queen, with Meghan saying she had "always been wonderful" to her, the interview will no doubt have shocked the Royal Family.

Key points from the bombshell interview

• Meghan revealed she had suicidal thoughts and said: "I just didn't want to be alive any more"
• The couple alleged a member of the Royal Family raised "concerns" about Archie's skin colour
• Harry said Prince Charles stopped taking his calls when the couple left the UK
• He denied that he had "blindsided" the Queen with the news the couple were stepping down
• The duke claimed he had been "trapped" in the royal system - "like the rest of my family"
• Meghan denied reports she made Kate made her cry ahead of her wedding - claiming "the reverse happened"
• The couple revealed they are expecting a girl - and that they were married three days before their big ceremony

Speaking about her pregnancy with baby Archie, Meghan claimed the Royal Family did not want him to be a prince or offer him security.

Asked why by Winfrey, she said there were "concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he's born".

Winfrey asked if her son being "too brown" would be a problem, to which Meghan replied: "If that is the assumption you are making, that is a pretty safe one".

However, she declined to say who raised the concerns, saying that would be "very damaging to them".

She added: "That was relayed to me from Harry, those were conversations the family had with him, and I think it was really hard to be able to see those as compartmentalised conversations."

Meghan also told Winfrey she struggled with her mental health due to the intense pressures of being in the Royal Family, and that she had suicidal thoughts. "I just didn't want to be alive any more," she said.

"And that was a very clear and real and frightening constant thought. And I remember, I remember how [Harry] just cradled me and I was... I went to the institution, and I said that I needed to go somewhere to get help. I said that I've never felt this way before and I need to go somewhere. And I was told that I couldn't, that it wouldn't be good for the institution."

The duchess was also asked about headlines written about her and the Duchess of Cambridge, including one story alleging Meghan made Kate cry.

"The reverse happened," Meghan told Oprah, later clarifying that Kate had "really hurt my feelings" a few days before the wedding, but that she had apologised and is "a good person".

It was not a "confrontation" and it would not be "fair" to Kate to go into detail, she said, but added that it was "hard to get over" being blamed for something she did not do.

"Everyone in the institution knew that wasn't true," she continued, and said she hoped Kate "would have wanted that to be corrected".

Asked if she thinks there was a separate standard for her and Kate, and if so why, Meghan said: "I don't know why. I can see now what layers were at play there.

"And again they really seemed to want a narrative of a hero and a villain."

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The photo was taken remotely by friend and photographer Misan Harriman.

Meghan, who is pregnant with her second child, spoke to Winfrey on her own at the beginning of the chat, with Harry joining for the second half - with the couple revealing together that they are having a girl.

Asked by Winfrey why they chose to step down from their roles as senior royals, Harry said: "Lack of support. And lack of understanding."

Harry denied that he "blindsided" the Queen with the news, saying he has "too much respect" for his grandmother, and said they have a good relationship.

However, he said that his father, Prince Charles, had "stopped taking my calls" at one point when he left the UK.

Asked about the "tipping point" which led to the couple leaving, Harry said he was "desperate".

He continued: "I went to all the places which I thought I should go to, to ask for help - we both did, separately and together."

Winfrey asked: "You left because you were asking for help, and didn't get it?"

Harry replied: "Yeah. Basically. But we never left." Meghan added: "We never left the family."

The programme started with clips from the couple's wedding, which the Duchess of Sussex described as an "out-of-body experience" - and revealed that the couple were married by the Archbishop of Canterbury three days before the formal ceremony.

Both said that Meghan felt welcomed initially, but things changed later on.

Harry told Winfrey he feels "really let down" by the Prince of Wales "because he's been through something similar, he knows what pain feels like, [and] Archie's his grandson.

"But at the same time - I will always love him - but there's a lot of hurt that's happened and I will continue to make it one of my priorities to try and heal that relationship.

"But they only know what they know, or what they're told."

Asked whether he would have stepped down from his role if not for Meghan, Harry said "no".

He continued: "I myself was trapped. I didn't see a way out. I was trapped but I didn't know I was trapped."

Winfrey pushed Harry to explain, to which he replied: "Trapped within the system, like the rest of my family are. My father and my brother, they are trapped. They don't get to leave.

Harry said he has "huge compassion" for their circumstances. Asked by Winfrey what his mother, Diana, would say if she was alive, Harry said: "I think she would feel very angry with how this has panned out, and very sad."

Speaking about his relationship with his brother, William, Harry said that at the moment it is "space".

https://news.sky.com/story/meghan-a...e-concerns-about-archies-skin-colour-12239558
 
Robert said:
Sure, it’s pretty obvious that he has changed and grown.
Click to expand...

He got duped by a gold-digger who was hungry for the Royal life. She has ruined his life and I am sure deep down he is regretful now. Should have listen to her father and brother.
 
There is nothing to look into here other than the fact the Meghan got a reality-check after marriage.

Getting married into the royal family was not the bed of roses that she had envisioned.

She has Harry on a leash who is not man enough to stand his ground. Should have married a classy and cultured English woman with aristocratic values like his brother did.
 
Mamoon said:
There is nothing to look into here other than the fact the Meghan got a reality-check after marriage.

Getting married into the royal family was not the bed of roses that she had envisioned.

She has Harry on a leash who is not man enough to stand his ground. Should have married a classy and cultured English woman with aristocratic values like his brother did.
Click to expand...

Do you even bother reading the articles or will you stick by your agenda of trying to give the opposing view?
 
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