Palace insider: ‘Meghan Markle’s victory may have destroyed her and Harry’

After nearly three years of very public battles with the Mail on Sunday, Meghan Markle won her privacy case for a second time last week when a judge denied the tabloid’s appeal.

Meghan, 40, took ANL Publishing to court after they published a letter she’d written to her father, Thomas Markle Sr, after her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018, where she asked him to stop talking to the press.

But bombshell evidence emerged during the appeal, including the couple’s former communications officer-turned-personal secretary of three years, Jason Knauf, telling the court Meghan was aware the letter may be leaked to the media, even admitting she’d used the word “Daddy” – the name she revealed she used for her dad – to “pull on the heartstrings” of the public.

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He also alleged Meghan had given permission for him to meet with the co-author of the couple’s controversial biography Finding Freedom and provided background information, despite Jason telling the court he’d urged Prince Harry he could not be seen to facilitate the book.

Despite the shock new claims, Meghan won the appeal and declared last week, “This is a victory not just for me, but for anyone who has ever felt scared to stand up for what’s right.”

However, Palace insider and royal biographer Duncan Larcombe – who wrote Prince Harry: The Inside Story – says that, despite Meghan’s “moral victory”, the case may have a detrimental impact on their future. Here, he looks at the price they may pay...

‘It’s irreversibly hurt their reputation’

Although Meghan won her case, the Sussexes’ reputation took a hit after she was exposed for “forgetting” she’d given information to Jason Knauf, knowing it could be leaked. Jason – now CEO of Kate Middleton and Prince William’s Royal Foundation – revealed that, ahead of meeting Omid Scobie, co-author of Finding Freedom, Meghan had briefed him on the context behind stories and alleged mistruths in the press and provided written evidence through emails and text messages from Harry.

The court dismissed the evidence as unlikely to sway the trial, but Duncan says, “While she has won the case, I think her admission of ‘forgetting’ she’d co-operated with [the authors of] Finding Freedom will have irreversibly hurt her and Harry’s reputation.

“The public could potentially think, ‘If she misremembered that, what else has she misremembered?’. It’s detrimental to their brand.

“So despite this victory, the court case may have destroyed her and Harry in the eyes of the public.”

‘The silence around their Spotify & Netflix deals is deafening’

Following their departure from the royal family last January, Meghan and Harry signed lucrative deals with some of the world’s biggest media giants.

Netflix agreed a £71m deal, but there’s yet to be any content released from Archewell Productions – the couple’s production company – on the platform, although it’s said Heart of Invictus, a documentary focused on the Invictus Games, and Pearl, an animated movie, are in the works. Meanwhile, Spotify signed a £30m contract with them, but last week, it was alleged that bosses were reportedly “mystified” at the lack of content from the couple as they have only released one podcast since the deal last December.

Duncan says, “Meghan and Harry quickly built up a lucrative brand by signing contracts with all these big names. However, we’ve seen very little content. The silence around it is deafening. It could be that the court case has taken centre stage and prevented them from doing more.

“Also, the likes of Spotify and Netflix knew that people had an appetite for what they had to say, which is why they’re so sought after – but it looks less credible now if there’s questions around truthfulness.

“If these contracts were to be shortened or terminated, it would leave Harry and Meghan in a very difficult position. They have been able to be financially independent and live a luxurious life since leaving the royals because of these deals. If they were to lose them it would be a case of, ‘What on earth do we do next?’”

‘Family relationships are worse than ever’

Meghan’s relationship with her father was already damaged, but Duncan says the bombshell that Meghan and Harry were reportedly involved in Finding Freedom further fuelled their rift with the royals, as the book made accusations of unfriendliness towards Meghan from both Kate Middleton, who allegedly didn’t welcome Meghan into the royal fold, and Prince William, who “behaved like a snob” and reportedly told Harry not to be blindsided by lust over “this girl”. It also accuses the family of being unable to cope with Meghan for being “different”.

And Duncan says, “The bombshell, unveiled in the court case, that Meghan had been involved in Finding Freedom is yet another dagger to the royal family. The book made a series of vicious remarks about the royals, the Duchess of Cambridge in particular. I imagine it’s worsened the rift.

“In terms of her dad, it seems she’s now further away than ever from a reconciliation. If she’d lost the appeal, they may have had to come face to face in another court hearing and maybe there was a small chance of reconciliation. But now, they can go on with their lives with him still totally cut out.

“It seems her and Harry’s relationship with each of their families are worse than ever.”

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‘More damaging claims could come’

While the couple can put the court case behind them, next year will likely see the results of the ongoing bullying investigations made against Meghan. Buckingham Palace announced in March that it was investigating allegations of unacceptable behaviour by Meghan towards staff and, as of June, reports claimed the investigations were still ongoing.

Duncan says, “The investigation could expose even more damaging claims about Meghan, or it could clear her name. But I do think this recent court victory for Meghan and Harry will make them determined to win back public support. Her statement was really surprising – clearly very determined – and I imagine she’ll now be going forward with her ambitions all guns blazing.

“Hopefully, next year we’ll see more content from the couple and them following up on promises. I think they have a lot to prove to win hearts and for Brand Sussex to thrive.”