Topline
Meghan Markle will receive a £1 settlement from the publishers of the Mail On Sunday after the newspaper was found to have invaded her privacy by publishing a letter she sent to her father, a surprisingly low and largely symbolic figure—but Markle also receive additional payments from the paper for copyright infringement—here’s an explainer on the damages.
Meghan Markle is seen ahead of her visit with Prince Harry to the iconic Titanic Belfast during … [+]
Key Facts
Last month, the U.K.’s court of appeal sided with Markle’s claims that Associated Newspapers violated her privacy and conducted copyright infringement by reprinting her letter; the court also ordered the newspaper to print an apology to Markle on the front page, which was published last week.
The Mail will pay Markle £1—or roughly $1.36—for damages relating to invasion of privacy, The Guardian first reported Wednesday and a spokesperson for Markle confirmed to Forbes.
Markle will also receive a sizable payment from Associated Newspapers representing the profits they earned by printing the letter Markle wrote to her estranged father, Thomas, according to a Markle spokesperson.
Markle plans to donate the funds from the copyright infringement claim to charity, her spokesperson said.
Associated Newspapers must also cover a portion of Markle’s legal fees, according to The Guardian.
Forbes has reached out to the Mail On Sunday for comment.
Crucial Quote
Markle called the ruling “precedent setting” and said she “treated this lawsuit as an important measure of right versus wrong.” “What matters most is that we are now collectively brave enough to reshape a tabloid industry that conditions people to be cruel, and profits from the lies and pain that they create,” she said in a statement at the time.
Tangent
The £1 invasion of privacy settlement harkens back to Taylor Swift’s $1 winning from a 2017 trial against a Colorado radio DJ who groped her. During the trial, Swift’s attorney said that the low number was “symbolic” and showed that “no means no, and it tells every woman that they will determine what is tolerable to their body.” After her trial, Swift said she donated to causes that provide defense for victims of sexual assault.
Key Background
In 2019, the Mail On Sunday published a series of stories quoting a letter Markle sent to her dad, sourcing directly from a copy of the letter Thomas had provided to the paper. That year Markle sued Associated Newspapers for invasion of privacy, copyright infringement and misuse of private information. In February 2021, a London High Court ruled in favor of Markle. Last year, Prince Harry was awarded damages from Associated Newspapers after he sued the Mail on Sunday for libel for incorrectly claiming he had “not been in touch” with the military after stepping down as a senior member of the royal family. The Duke of Sussex also sued the Sun, the News Of The World and The Daily Mirror in 2019 for allegedly hacking messages on his phone, a legal battle that is still ongoing.
Further Reading
Meghan Markle Wins Formal Apology From U.K. Publication (Forbes)
‘Precedent Setting’: Meghan Markle Wins Ruling In Privacy Fight Involving Letter To Her Father (Forbes)
Meghan Markle Receives Public Apology After Lawsuit Victory (People)
Meghan Markle Wins Privacy Case Against Daily Mail Publisher (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2022/01/05/meghan-markle-to-receive-1-from-newspaper-over-privacy-invasion—but-thats-not-all/