Meghan Markle's Privacy Battle Against The Mail On Sunday Won't Go To Trial In January 2021

Justice Mark Warby said that the trial is due to be held in January 2021. It would be adjourned for Markle's 'confidential reason' until later next year. He further added that the right decision in every circumstance is to grant the application to adjourn. He clarified that this means the trial date of January 11, 2021 will be cancelled and the trial will be re-fixed for a new date in autumn next year. Reportedly, the ten-day trial now will be heard later in October or November 2021.

Also Read : Meghan Markle Felt ‘Unprotected’ By Royal Family During Her Pregnancy

Meanwhile, a hearing will be held early next year. It will consider a related summary judgment application by Meghan Markle’s lawyers. The lawyers will advocate for the whole case to be dismissed on the basis that the evidence in her favour is “overwhelming“.

The hearing that was held on Thursday was conducted in private via videolink to protect “the confidentiality of the information relied on” by Meghan Markle in her application to postpone the trial.

Also Read : Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Believe Royal Press System Is Biased

History of Meghan Markle's Case

The former actress is now based in the US, after she and husband Prince Harry stepped back as frontline royals. She is suing ANL over the publication of parts of her handwritten letter to her 76-year-old father, Thomas Markle, in the ‘Mail on Sunday’ and ‘MailOnline’ in August 2018.

The 39-year-old woman believes that the publication of this letter was a breach of copyright, infringement of her privacy, and it also breaches the UK Data Protection Act.

Publishers of ANL have completely denied the allegations, including the claim that the letter was edited in any way that changed its meaning, and have pledged to strongly contest the case.

Last month, the UK High Court had ruled in favour of Associated Newspaper Limited (ANL) to allow them to amend its case to include details from a recently published biography of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Finding Freedom.

ANL had argued that the royals had “collaborated” with the book’s authors, but Meghan Markle’s lawyers said that this claim is a “conspiracy theory”.

Picture Credit: Reuters

Also Read : Duchess Of Sussex Meghan Markle Returns To Canada To Be With Son

Khushi Gupta is an intern with SheThePeople.TV