49 details in Finding Freedom that could have ‘only come from Meghan Markle’
The Mail on Sunday has alleged the Duchess of Sussex colluded with the writers of her gushing biography.
Meghan Markle used her friends as “de facto media relations agents” to feed at least 49 pieces of personal information “which could only have come from her” to the authors of her gushing biography, it has been claimed.
The Duchess of Sussex allegedly colluded with the writers of Finding Freedom as part of “a media strategy to improve or enhance her image” which started shortly after she married Prince Harry in 2018.
Meghan, 39, is suing the Mail on Sunday for printing extracts from a letter she sent her dad Thomas, saying it breached her privacy.
But in new papers filed on Friday, the newspaper says the Duchess of Sussex does not have “any reasonable expectation of privacy” because she secretly shared intimate secrets with Finding Freedom authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand.
It claims Meghan “does not object to details of her personal relationships and correspondence being publicly disclosed, provided it is couched in terms that are favourable and flattering to her”.
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The paper says Meghan became “increasingly frustrated that the press coverage she received was not to her liking and did not do her justice” and “wanted to take more active steps to promote a positive image of herself”.
It says: “She began to feel that the British press was in some way acting against her, so much so that she believed (and still believes) that there were ‘hundreds of thousands’ of inaccurate articles about her.
“She therefore decided that she would bypass or augment the efforts of the Palace communications team and pass information to the media and to the authors herself, using her friends as her de facto media relations agents or conduits.
“She and her husband co-operated with the authors to put out their version of the events by means of the book.
“They permitted the authors to observe them and interact with them, their friends and associates, and permitted their friends and associates to speak to and pass information to the authors.”
The paper says much of the information in the best-selling book “could have originated only from Meghan and/or her husband”.
It goes on to list 49 details in the book which it says must have come directly from Meghan herself, including:
– A detailed account of her relationship with Prince Harry, including who said ‘I love you’ first
– Her feelings towards Kate Middleton
– Her birth plan for Archie
– Detailed accounts of holidays that she took with Prince Harry
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It adds Finding Freedom contains several photographs originally published on Harry and Meghan’s Instagram account, SussexRoyal.
The paper points out that Meghan has previously complained to the media about its use of these pictures, but not to the authors of Finding Freedom.
It says: “It is inferred that Meghan gave the authors permission to republish these images in the book.”
Earlier this week, the Mail on Sunday won a bid to use Finding Freedom as part of its defence against Meghan’s privacy claim.
Meghan strongly denies collaborating with the authors or any other media.
Last week, her lawyer even described the stories in Finding Freedom as “extremely anodyne, the product of creative licence and/or inaccurate” in a bid to distance her from it.
The case continues.
THE 49 DETAILS THE MAIL ALLEGES COULD HAVE ONLY CAME FROM MEGHAN
1. Personal correspondence between Meghan and her mother Doria Ragland
2. Details of Doria’s employment and educational history
3. Meghan‘s personal conversations with a co-worker at a soup kitchen in Los Angeles
4. Her weekly routine while at Northwestern University
5. How Meghan felt about having to shoot a sex scene while she was a struggling actor in 2008
6. Her feelings around her relationship with her ex-husband, Trevor Engelson, who has never spoken publicly about their marriage
7. Detailed account of Meghan‘s relationship with Cory Vitiello
8. Details about Meghan and Prince Harry‘s first date – including whether they kissed goodnight and what they drank
9. Information about their second date at Prince Harry’s then home, Nottingham Cottage – including details of the decor of the house
10. Who said ‘I love you’ first
11. Detailed account of their holiday in Botswana in 2016 including where they stayed and her bathroom routines
12. Prince Harry’s relationship with Prince William before and after he met Meghan
13. A report on the advice Thomas Markle gave Meghan Markle about money management
14. An account of Prince Harry’s first meeting with Doria
15. Text messages Meghan sent to friend Jessica Mulroney
16. Details about Prince Harry’s conversations with Thomas Markle
17. What happened when Meghan met Prince William as well as a description of Prince William’s home
18. Meghan’s feelings about finding out a Suits love scene she had starred in was uploaded to Pornhub
19. Advice given by the Palace communications team and Meghan’s reaction
20. Prince Harry’s daily routine during Christmas time in 2017
21. Meghan’s relationship with Kate Middleton and how she felt about the Duchess
22. Prince Harry’s feelings about being photographed at a wedding in Jamaica in 2017
23. Details about the wedding reception of Pippa Middleton and James Matthews
24. Details of their holidays to Turkey and Botswana in 2017 – including who hosted them and what they ate
25. Information about a conversation between Prince William and Prince Harry about the Duke of Cambridge’s feelings about Meghan Markle and the impact on their relationship
26. Meghan’s feelings about Harry’s proposal
27. How Meghan felt about leaving Toronto to move to London
28. How Meghan felt about meeting the Queen for the first time in October 2017
29. Meghan’s communications with her mum after moving to London
30. Details about Christmas celebrations in 2017 including how Meghan felt about the brooch worn by Princess Michael of Kent
31. Meghan’s feelings about a friend Ninaki Priddy speaking to the press about her
32. Meghan’s faith and private conversation with Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury
33. What Prince Harry said at the altar to his father and Meghan Markle just before the wedding ceremony
34. Detailed account of speeches at the couple’s wedding along with what was on the menu
35. Details of the couple’s visit to Lake Como to spend time with George and Amal Clooney
36. Information about a private meeting between Meghan, Harry and the Queen to pick the duchess’ wedding tiara
37. An account of a disagreement between Prince Harry and one of the Queen’s assistants, Angela Kelly
38. Details around Prince Harry and Prince William’s estrangement
39. Details about Meghan Markle’s baby shower and the Palace’s reaction
40. Meghan’s birth plan
41. Private correspondence from Prince Harry and Meghan to their friends after Archie’s birth
42. Details of gifts after Archie’s birth
43. Prince William and Kate Middleton’s childcare arrangements
44. Meghan’s work on the SussexRoyal Instagram account
45. Meghan and Harry’s feelings about the Palace communications team
46. Meghan and Harry’s living arrangements while in Canada in 2019
47. Details about the Sandringham summit
48. How Prince Harry felt about the split from the royal family
49. Meghan’s feelings about her last engagement as a royal at Westminster Abbey
This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission
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