The Duchess of Sussex has alleged that the Daily Mail breached "obvious ethical boundaries" by operating at the bedside of her estranged father, after his assertions that he had not gotten his daughter's messages.
A Public Appeal and a Secret Effort
Thomas Markle publicly asked Meghan to see him in a weekend interview, after having serious surgery abroad.
However, a representative for Meghan said that she had been attempting to reach her father and criticised the paper's conduct.
"Given that a journalist from the outlet has remained at her father’s side the entire time, broadcasting each exchange and crossing clear ethical lines, it has been extremely hard for the royal to contact her father in private, despite her efforts over the past several days," the spokesperson stated. "With the support of reliable and trusted associates, her correspondence is now safely in his hands."
Publisher's Rebuttal
A representative for the publishing group of the newspapers denied unethical behaviour and stated 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 spokesperson. "Not only is she 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 added, "The claim is completely false that each interaction has been broadcast, and the allegation that journalistic ethics were breached is demonstrably false and vehemently denied."
Background of Estrangement
The dispute comes a tense few days in which Meghan is reported to have been trying to contact her father. Her team say they had faced challenges to locate him or find a way to communicate with him privately.
Meghan has been distant from her father since 2018, when she married Prince Harry. The father-daughter bond further deteriorated after a personal letter she wrote to him, extracts of which were published in the Sunday paper, an act she said "actually signalled the end of our relationship, not a reconciliation."
Upcoming Legal Battle
This incident comes weeks before the Duke of Sussex is due to begin a lawsuit 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 sued by Prince Harry and several other high-profile individuals. The plaintiffs allege the newspaper group carried out unlawful activities. The publisher vehemently denies all allegations.
