The Duchess of Sussex Accuses the Tabloid of Crossing Ethical Lines in Reporting from Father's Bedside
The Duchess of Sussex has claimed that the Daily Mail crossed "clear ethical boundaries" by operating at the hospital room of her father, from whom she is estranged, after his claims that he had not received his daughter's messages.
A Public Appeal and a Secret Effort
Meghan's father publicly asked Meghan to visit him in a recent newspaper interview, after undergoing major surgery abroad.
However, a spokesperson for Meghan said that she had been attempting to reach her father and criticised the publication's conduct.
"Considering a journalist from the outlet has remained at her father’s bedside the entire time, broadcasting each exchange and breaching obvious ethical lines, it has been extremely hard for the royal to contact her father privately, notwithstanding her attempts over the past few days," the spokesperson stated. "With the support of trusted contacts, her correspondence is now safely in his hands."
Outlet's Denial
A representative for the parent company of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday rejected any ethical breach and said that Mr. Markle was a friend of the journalist who interviewed him.
"After Thomas Markle was fell ill in the Philippines he contacted Caroline Graham and asked her travel to be with him," said the spokesman. "As well as being a journalist, Caroline Graham has been a friend to Mr Markle since 2018. She has been with Mr Markle in hospital every day, offering him care and support."
The spokesperson added, "The claim is completely false that each exchange has been publicized, and the allegation that ethical boundaries were breached is demonstrably false and strongly contested."
A History of Strain
The row comes a period of difficulty in which Meghan is understood to have been attempting to reach her father. Her team say they had faced challenges to find him or find a way to reach him directly.
Meghan has been estranged from her father since 2018, when she married Prince Harry. Their relationship soured further after a private letter she wrote to him, extracts of which were published in the Sunday paper, which she said "marked the end of our relationship, not a reconciliation."
Upcoming Legal Battle
This disagreement comes weeks before the Duke of Sussex is due to begin a legal case against the owner of the Daily Mail over claims of illegal data collection.
In that court case, scheduled for next month, the publisher is being taken to court by Prince Harry and several other high-profile individuals. The plaintiffs contend the newspaper group engaged in illegal practices. The publisher vehemently denies all accusations.