Prince Harry and Meghan Markle sued Associated Newspapers over articles that featured parts of a private letter Meghan wrote to her father, Thomas Markle. They alleged the letter's contents were misused and published without permission. The legal battle, full of drama and twists over the past two years, took a surprising turn with new claims.
US journalist Junior Minger, a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer who co-authored Prince Harry's memoir released last year, stepped forward with explosive revelations that could reshape the case. Minger, called to testify after Associated Newspapers accused Meghan of providing misleading information, shocked the court by admitting he had seen draft copies of the letter on Meghan's iPad during their collaboration.
This directly contradicted Meghan's sworn testimony that she was the sole author and no drafts existed. When pressed by Associated Newspapers' lawyers, Minger insisted he was telling the truth, feeling morally compelled to reveal this crucial detail. According to him, Meghan had stored multiple draft versions of the letter on her device, and they had worked on revising some phrasing together.
In a stunning twist, Minger alleged that Meghan deleted these drafts from her iPad after he warned her about their potential relevance in future legal proceedings. This deletion of potential evidence raised serious questions about Meghan's transparency and honesty during the case.
Responding to Minger's disclosures, Associated Newspapers immediately requested the court to reopen the case. The judge agreed, leading to weeks of closed-door deliberations. Just hours ago, the verdict was delivered: in a significant setback for Harry and Meghan, the judge ruled that Meghan did not provide full transparency and potentially tampered with evidence.
As a result, Associated Newspapers was cleared of all press intrusion and privacy claims. Moreover, Harry and Meghan were ordered to jointly pay a record £20 million settlement plus legal fees for wasting the court's time. The internet exploded with reactions, from royal supporters criticizing Meghan's honesty to others seeing it as proof of institutional bias against her.
This outcome deals a substantial blow to Harry and Meghan's reputation, particularly in their human rights advocacy efforts. Trust in their narratives has understandably eroded further. Many speculate on the impact this ordeal may have on Harry's relationship with his brother and the royal family, who may feel privately vindicated by Minger's revelations.
While Meghan maintains her innocence, her withdrawn apology and silence are seen by some as tacit admission of wrongdoing. Rebuilding their credibility moving forward will require considerable effort.
