Meghan Markle has claimed that the newspaper crossed "obvious ethical boundaries" by operating at the bedside of her estranged father, following his assertions that he had not gotten his daughter's messages.
A Public Appeal and a Private Struggle
Meghan's father publicly asked Meghan to see him in a recent newspaper interview, after having major surgery abroad.
However, a spokesperson for Meghan stated that she had been attempting to reach her father and censured the publication's actions.
"Considering a journalist from the outlet has remained at her father’s side the entire time, publicizing each interaction 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 reliable and trusted associates, her message is now securely in his hands."
Outlet's Denial
A spokesperson for the parent company of the newspapers rejected unethical behaviour and said that Mr. Markle was a longtime acquaintance of the journalist who spoke with him.
"When Thomas Markle was fell ill in the Philippines he reached out to Caroline Graham and requested she travel to be with him," stated the spokesman. "As well as being a journalist, Caroline Graham has been friends with Mr Markle since 2018. She has been with Mr Markle in hospital every day, providing him with care and support."
The company representative continued, "It is entirely untrue that each exchange has been broadcast, and the allegation that ethical boundaries were breached is demonstrably false and strongly contested."
A History of Strain
The row follows a period of difficulty in which Meghan is understood to have been attempting to reach her father. Her representatives claim they had struggled to find him or establish a method to communicate with him privately.
Meghan has been distant from her father since 2018, when she married Prince Harry. The father-daughter bond soured further when a personal letter she wrote to him, extracts of which were printed in the Sunday paper, which she said "actually signalled the end of our relationship, not a reconciliation."
Forthcoming Court Case
This disagreement precedes by weeks the Duke of Sussex is scheduled to start a legal case against the owner of the Daily Mail over allegations of illegal data collection.
In that trial, scheduled for next month, the publisher is being sued by Prince Harry and a group of high-profile individuals. The claimants allege the newspaper group engaged in unlawful activities. The publisher vehemently denies all accusations.
