Meghan Markle ‘furious’ over Palace’s failure to defend her ‘against true stories’
Legal documents say she felt unprotected by the royal ‘institution’ - but insiders claim press team were powerless

A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Thank you for signing up to TheWeek. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
The Duchess of Sussex felt “unprotected” by the Palace because the royal press team could not defend her against true stories, according to insiders.
Papers filed at the High Court say that Meghan Markle suffered “tremendous emotional distress and damage to her mental health” as a result of UK media scrutiny during her pregnancy. The former working royal was “unprotected by the institution, and prohibited from defending herself”, her lawyers say in documents relating to her lawsuit against The Mail on Sunday for alleged breach of privacy.
Her friends also felt ‘silenced’ by Kensington Palace and unable to defend her”, adds The Sun.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The Times reports that the “silence from Kensington Palace left the duchess frustrated” and that her “anger grew over two strands of stories dominating the news agenda about her: her relations with staff, especially the number who had quit, and the criticism of her by her family, especially Samantha Grant, her half-sister”.
But sources told the newspaper that the press team were unable to deny the reports because they were largely true.
“The stories were a drop in the ocean compared to what was going on,” the source said.
“No one thinks this is going to end well,” another source adds. “For anyone.”
Although a judge at a hearing earlier this year threw out Markle’s claim that she was the victim of a malicious press campaign, “aides say that the Duchess is relieved that the true extent of what she believes she has suffered at the hands of the British press is now being revealed”, reports Vanity Fair.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
Sign up to our 10 Things You Need to Know Today newsletter
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
-
Cops 'arrest' Chucky doll
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden Published
-
'Shocking state of prisons'
Today's Newspapers A round-up of the headlines from the UK front pages
By The Week Staff Published
-
Ten Things You Need to Know Today: 26 September 2023
The Week’s daily digest of the news agenda, published at 8am
By The Week Staff Published
-
Prince Harry, Princess Diana and the media
Talking Point Pundits say Diana would be ‘appalled’ by her son’s actions but might she have approved?
By Chas Newkey-Burden Published
-
Free app access for The Week’s subscribers during Royal Mail strikes
Speed Read If you have a subscription to The Week magazine you can read the digital edition on your tablet or phone
By The Week Staff Published
-
Is ‘Megxit’ misogynistic?
Why Everyone’s Talking About Prince Harry is calling for the widely used term to be replaced
By Kate Samuelson Published
-
Five revelations from the BBC’s Princes and the Press that sparked a royal feud
Under the Radar Royals furious about two-part documentary that shines light on inner workings of the households
By Kate Samuelson Published
-
Chinese journalists forced into 90 hours of lessons to ‘learn the party line’
Speed Read State-accredited reporters to undergo training aimed at stamping out dissent
By The Week Staff Published
-
Fox News host suggests connection between Prince Philip's death and Harry and Meghan interview
Speed Read
By Brendan Morrow Last updated
-
Inside Piers Morgan’s exit from Good Morning Britain
Under the Radar Host departs after clash with ITV executives over Meghan Markle mental health coverage
By Joe Evans Published
-
How the world responded to Harry and Meghan’s Oprah interview
feature US chat show host praised for her role in tell-all that creates ‘new crisis’ for Royal Family
By Sorcha Bradley Last updated