
Audio By Carbonatix
The Duchess of Sussex will receive £1 in damages from Associated Newspapers after the Mail on Sunday was found to have invaded her privacy.
The nominal sum was set out in court documents which formally confirm the newspaper has accepted defeat.
The Mail on Sunday published a handwritten letter the duchess sent to her father Thomas Markle in 2018.
The media company will also pay an unspecified sum for a separate case of infringing her copyright.
Associated Newspapers previously indicated it was considering a further appeal to the Supreme Court, but the company has now accepted defeat in the long-running case.
Last February, the High Court had ruled against the newspaper group on the issue of privacy and copyright - saying the issues in the case were so clear cut that there was no need for a full hearing.
Associated Newspapers was refused permission to appeal against the decision but went to the Court of Appeal in an attempt to get the original ruling overturned.
However, in December, the Court of Appeal rejected Associated Newspapers' attempt to have a trial.
Judges at the appeal said it was hard to see what evidence at a trial would have altered the situation.
They added: "The judge had correctly decided that, whilst it might have been proportionate to publish a very small part of the letter... it was not necessary to publish half the contents of the letter."
A spokesman for Associated Newspapers said at the time: "It is our strong view that judgment should be given only on the basis of evidence tested at trial, and not on a summary basis in a heavily contested case."
In her own statement issued after the ruling, the duchess urged people to be "brave enough to reshape a tabloid industry that... profits from the lies and pain that they create".
Associated Newspapers will also pay a confidential sum for copyright infringement, while the Mail on Sunday also faces having to cover a substantial part of Meghan's legal costs, which could be more than £1m.
Media lawyer Mark Stephens told the Guardian the nominal £1 settlement suggested a weakness in the privacy aspect of the duchess's case.
"Normally for that kind of invasion of privacy you would expect £75,000 to £125,000," he said. "It does show that the curation of her reputation was an area where she had effectively invaded her own privacy."
However, libel lawyer David Hooper told The Daily Beast: "Accepting the £1 will likely have avoided a tremendous argument about the extent of the damage she suffered.
"She just wanted to establish a principle and get her legal costs paid, although she may well still be a half a million pounds out of pocket as a result of this process."
Latest Stories
-
Ghanaians should accept Queiroz as a defensive coach – Kojo Addae-Mensah
4 minutes -
Ghana introduces New Basic School Curriculum with Coding, AI and Local Language focus
8 minutes -
Asamoah Gyan visits John Laryea ahead of August 15 fight against Adrian Robledo Maximiliano
8 minutes -
Mid-Year Budget must outline plan to sustain economic gains – Prof Bokpin
8 minutes -
‘Dangerous and baseless’ – Stephen Amoah slams Global InfoAnalytics MPs performance poll
9 minutes -
Further infant remains uncovered at former mother-and-baby home
24 minutes -
When thousands can’t opt out: The broken system behind national service cloth deductions
24 minutes -
Meet 2026 jury for Blackstar International Film Festival
28 minutes -
Mahama calls on Africa to manufacture its own medicines to end import dependence
30 minutes -
Carlos Queiroz could join CAF review after Ghana’s World Cup campaign
36 minutes -
Mahama, WHO chief call for stronger pharmaceutical production to reduce Africa’s health dependence
39 minutes -
Fondation Ahobah feeds more than 200 children, donates supplies to Kasoa orphanage
41 minutes -
Sammy Crabbe urges NPP unity as Chairman Wontumi faces 20-year jail term
54 minutes -
Asante Kotoko set title target for Tinkler ahead of new GPL season
57 minutes -
Godfred Dame argues Hanan Abdul-Wahab’s Buffer Stock charge sheet is defective, seeks dismissal
1 hour