New details are being revealed about Meghan Markle‘s private letter to her estranged father that was ultimately released to publications.
According to legal documents obtained by the U.K.’s Press Association, the Duchess of Sussex’s legal team is criticizing the publisher of The Mail on Sunday for printing a “private and confidential” letter.
Meghan’s lawyers claim the newspaper “chose to deliberately omit or suppress” parts of the letter, which “intentionally distorted or manipulated” its meaning.
“The letter was obviously private correspondence written by the claimant to her father. Further, it contained the claimant’s deepest and most private thoughts and feelings about her relationship with her father and were detailed by her at a time of great personal anguish and distress,” the claim stated. “The claimant intended the detailed contents of the letter to be private, and certainly did not expect them to be published to the world at large by a national newspaper, and without any warning.”
Portions of the letter, which was sent to Thomas Markle in August 2018, were first published in February.
“I decided to release parts of the letter because of the article from Meghan’s friends in People magazine,” he shared with The Mail on Sunday. “I have to defend myself. I only released parts of the letter because other parts were so painful. The letter didn’t seem loving to me. I found it hurtful.”
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Thomas continued, “I don’t recognize the person who wrote the letter but I still love my daughter. All it would take is one phone call and most of this craziness would stop.”
A spokesperson for The Mail on Sunday previously defended themselves after sharing the letter. “The Mail on Sunday stands by the story it published and will be defending this case vigorously,” the statement read. “Specifically, we categorically deny that the Duchess’ letter was edited in any way that changed its meaning.”
Prince Harry has continued to have his wife’s back as she continues to face headlines. Recently, the royal family member issued an impassioned statement where he defended his wife.
“My wife has become one of the latest victims of a British tabloid press that wages campaigns against individuals with no thought to the consequences–a ruthless campaign that has escalated over the past year, throughout her pregnancy and while raising our newborn son,” the lengthy statement read in part. “There is a human cost to this relentless propaganda, specifically when it is knowingly false and malicious, and though we have continued to put on a brave face–as so many of you can relate to–I cannot begin to describe how painful it has been.”