Meghan Markle Wins Legal Battle to Keep Her Friends' Names Private “For the Time Being"
The Duchess of Sussex’s legal battle against Associated Newspapers Ltd has seen many twists and turns. And in the latest ruling she has emerged victorious as a judge declared today that her five friends who gave an interview to People Magazine about her will remain anonymous—for now.
Justice Warby announced his decision at the High Court in central London this morning that Meghan’s bid to keep her friends’ identities a secret will be granted “for the time being at least.”
Following the hearing, a source on the Sussex’s team said they were “happy” about the ruling. “The Duchess felt it was necessary to take this step to try and protect her friends—as any of us would—and we’re glad this was clear. We are happy that the Judge has agreed to protect these five individuals,” the source told T&C.
In his ruling, which was published online, Justice Warby said:
“I have concluded that for the time being at least the Court should grant the claimant the orders she seeks, the effect of which will be to confer protection on the sources’ identities. That is confidential information, the protection of which at this stage is necessary in the interests of the administration of justice. This is an interim decision.”
He also pointed out that the case was unusual because it involved the media advocating for the disclosure of sources. “Normally, when such an issue arises it is the claimant who seeks disclosure of the sources. The media invariably maintain that the protection of confidential sources is of high importance, and that names should not be disclosed or publicised. In this unusual case, the roles are reversed,” the judgement said.
Justice Warby noted that the case was still “some way from trial” and that things could change as the case progressed.
“The weight to be given to the relevant factors may well change as the case progresses. Those that require that confidentiality should prevail over transparency at this preliminary, case-management stage, may fade or even evaporate if and when there is a trial at which one or more of the sources gives evidence,” he said.
Meghan fought hard to keep the names of the five friends a secret, filing an application to the high court in June to stop their identities from being made public as part of the legal proceedings she has launched against Associated Newspapers Ltd. In it, she accused the newspaper group of a “vicious” attempt to expose the five women.
Meghan’s statement described each of the women as “a private citizen, young mother,” and claimed that “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 women’s names have been provided in a confidential section of previous court documents.
The Duchess is suing Associated Newspapers Limited for the alleged breach of privacy, infringement of copyright, and breach of the Data Protection Act 2018 after it published extracts from a letter she wrote to her father. The publisher has previously said it will be defending the case “vigorously.”
The Mail on Sunday published extracts of the letter following the People interview and Thomas Markle subsequently said in the newspaper that he allowed them to do so to “defend” himself.
Meghan has repeatedly claimed in court documents that she did not know about the interview in advance. The newspaper group won the first stage of the legal battle earlier this year when Justice Warby ruled in favor of the publisher and struck out parts of Meghan’s claim against them.
Court documents filed by Meghan at the start of this month claimed the Duchess was “pregnant, unprotected by the Institution, and prohibited from defending herself” during her time as a working member of the royal family.
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