The UK Mail on Sunday has printed a front-page statement acknowledging Meghan Markle’s copyright victory.
The Duchess of Sussex sued the newspaper’s publisher, Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), over five articles that reproduced parts of a “private letter” she sent to her father Thomas Markle in August 2018.
The 40-year-old won the case back in February, after the High Court ruled that the publication of her letter was unlawful.
But last month, Associated Newspapers challenged that ruling at the Court of Appeal in London, arguing the case should go to a trial.
Their appeal was supported by new evidence from Jason Knauf, the former communications secretary to the Sussexes, who claimed the Duchess wrote the letter with the understanding it may become public.
Despite presenting new evidence in court, the publisher’s appeal was dismissed following a three-day hearing in November.
Following Meghan’s victory, the publisher was ordered to print a statement on the front page of the Mail On Sunday and a notice on page three of the paper stating it “infringed her copyright”.
The Mail on Sunday have accepted defeat and printed a front page notice following Meghan, Duchess of Sussex winning her legal case against the paper in May for invasion of privacy and copyright infringement. A large payout will follow in due course. pic.twitter.com/6r2a05j1hG
— Omid Scobie (@scobie) December 25, 2021
The statement was printed on the front page of the UK Mail On Sunday today, and it read: “The Duchess of Sussex wins her legal case for copyright infringement against Associated Newspapers for articles published in The Mail on Sunday and posted on Mail Online – SEE PAGE 3.”
On page three of the paper, under the heading ‘The Duchess of Sussex’, it says: “Following a hearing on 19-20 January, 2021, and a further hearing on 5 May, 2021, the Court has given judgment for the Duchess of Sussex on her claim for copyright infringement.”
“The Court found that Associated Newspapers infringed her copyright by publishing extracts of her handwritten letter to her father in The Mail on Sunday and on Mail Online. Financial remedies have been agreed.”
