Meghan Markle has alleged that the newspaper crossed "clear ethical boundaries" by reporting from the hospital room of her estranged father, after his assertions that he had not gotten his daughter's communications.
A Public Appeal and a Private Struggle
Meghan's father publicly asked Meghan to visit him in a weekend interview, following having major surgery in the Philippines.
Nonetheless, a representative for Meghan stated that she had been attempting to reach her father and censured the publication's actions.
"Given that a journalist from the outlet has stayed at her father’s bedside throughout, broadcasting each interaction and crossing obvious ethical boundaries, it has been exceedingly difficult for the royal to contact her father privately, despite her attempts over the past few days," the spokesperson said. "With the support of reliable and trusted contacts, her correspondence is now safely in his hands."
Publisher's Rebuttal
A spokesperson for the parent company of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday rejected unethical behaviour and stated that Mr. Markle was a longtime acquaintance of the journalist who spoke with him.
"After Thomas Markle was fell ill in the Philippines he reached out to Caroline Graham and asked her travel to be with him," said the spokesman. "As well as being a journalist, she has been a friend to Mr Markle for years. She has been with Mr Markle in hospital every day, providing him with care and support."
The spokesperson added, "The claim is completely false that each exchange has been publicized, and the suggestion that journalistic ethics were violated is demonstrably false and vehemently denied."
A History of Strain
The dispute follows a period of difficulty in which Meghan is understood to have been trying to contact her father. Her representatives say they had struggled to find him or find a way to reach him directly.
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 "marked the end of our relationship, not a reconciliation."
Forthcoming Court Case
This incident comes weeks before the Duke of Sussex is scheduled to start a lawsuit against the publisher 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 a group of high-profile individuals. The claimants allege the newspaper group carried out unlawful activities. The publisher strongly disputes all accusations.
