Meghan Markle apologising to the High Court for ‘misleading’ them over her involvement with the Finding Freedom biography may have saved her from contempt proceedings, a legal expert has said in latest news.
The Duchess of Sussex claims she ‘forgot’ approving for the couple’s former Communication Secretary Jason Knauf to brief book authors, Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand.
Previously a spokesperson for Meghan and Harry’s lawyers claimed the couple had in no way contributed to Finding Freedom.
Meghan Markle latest
Earlier this year, Meghan, 40, sued the publisher of the Mail on Sunday, Associated Newspapers, for publishing parts of a private letter in 2019 between herself and her father, Thomas Markle. And the court ruled in Meghan’s favour stating the publication of the letter was “unlawful”.
However, new evidence given this week by senior royal aide Mr Knauf could change the ruling.
He says the Duchess knew her dad might share the letter with the media. And that he “discussed the book on a routine basis” and “directly with Meghan herself multiple times”.
Associated Newspapers’ legal team are now seeking to overturn the judgement in the Court of Appeal.
They argue that the letter was crafted with “the possibility of public consumption”.
Legal expert Rory Lynch says Meghan’s apology could save her from further court proceedings
Legal Director for Gateley Legal, Rory Lynch, reveals that by Meghan apologising to the courts, she is saving herself from “contempt of court”.
He said: “Technically, lying in a witness statement is contempt of courts, and can lead to contempt proceedings and even imprisonment.
“It is a gift for the opposing lawyers, and you can expect them to push hard on the matter.”
He also added that the apology should “save her from contempt proceedings”.
However, Mr Lynch said that it may “not stop a ruling against her from the Court of Appeal, which would resurrect the case from the ashes”.
Meanwhile, this week, Meghan issued a statement to say she had “no wish or intention to mislead the court”.
She added: “I accept that Mr Knauf did provide some information to the authors for the book and that he did so with my knowledge, for a meeting that he planned for with the authors in his capacity as communications secretary.
“The extent of the information he shared is unknown to me.
“When I approved the passage…I did not have the benefit of seeing these emails and I apologise to the court for the fact that I had not remembered these exchanges at the time.”
ED! has contacted reps for the Duchess of Sussex for comment.
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