He expressed his dismay at what he referred to as a "ruthless campaign" conducted by the tabloid, which brought to mind the tragic death of his mother, Princess Diana. In 1997, Princess Diana was killed in a car crash while being pursued by paparazzi.
Accompanying the announcement, media sources confirmed that Meghan Markle is suing the publisher of the Mail on Sunday. This legal action stems from the tabloid's publication of a "private letter" from the Duchess of Sussex.
In his statement, Harry wrote that his greatest fear is the repetition of history, as he has witnessed the dehumanization of a loved one due to being commoditized. Having already lost his mother, he now sees his wife falling victim to the same powerful forces.
Numerous publications have highlighted the central issue surrounding the Mail on Sunday's publication of a handwritten letter from Meghan to her estranged father, Thomas Markle. This incident occurred in August 2018, a few months after Meghan's wedding to Harry in May of the same year. Thomas Markle did not attend the wedding, citing a paparazzi scandal involving the Mail on Sunday as his reason.
Harry emphasized in his statement that the Mail on Sunday unlawfully published the private letter in an intentionally destructive manner, aiming to manipulate readers and advance their divisive agenda. He accused the tabloid of deliberately omitting select paragraphs, specific sentences, and even individual words to conceal the lies they have perpetuated for over a year.
Schillings, Meghan's legal representatives, issued a statement confirming the initiation of legal proceedings against the Mail on Sunday and its parent company, Associated Newspapers. They denounced the intrusive and unlawful publication of the private letter, which they claim is part of a broader campaign by the media group to publish false and derogatory stories about Meghan and Harry. Faced with Associated Newspapers' refusal to resolve the matter satisfactorily, legal proceedings were deemed necessary to address the breach of privacy, copyright infringement, and the media's alleged agenda.
DMG Media, formerly known as Associated Newspapers, owns the Mail on Sunday, along with the Daily Mail and other publications. As of now, the company has not provided a comment on the situation.
Harry stated that Meghan has become the latest victim of the British tabloid press, which he accused of launching campaigns against individuals without considering the consequences. He noted that the misrepresentations of Meghan have intensified over the past year, persisting even during her pregnancy and the birth of their son.
This announcement coincides with Harry and Meghan's ongoing tour of South Africa, which has received positive coverage from the same media outlets accused of bullying Meghan at other times. In his statement, Harry called attention to the "double standards" in how Meghan is treated. He highlighted that while the same publications have relentlessly vilified her for the past nine months, they have now lauded her during the Africa tour. Harry emphasized that Meghan remains the same woman she was on their wedding day and throughout the Africa tour.
