Meghan Markle sent an aide senior to the royal to inform him that she had written every word of a note to Thomas. He was concerned about the possibility of it being leaked and so Meghan chose to text the Court of Appeal to let the Court know.
Jason Knauf sent bombshell emails and texts to the Duchess to raise doubts about her “credibility” and expose her hypocrisy. She also briefed two journalists on her half-sister, and had a private meeting before Prince Harry’s wedding with Queen Elizabeth about the tiara that she would like to wear. Her privacy trial with MailOnline and the Mail on Sunday was disclosed.
Mr Knauf made a statement to Court of Appeal, which contradicts Meghan’s claims about privacy. She stated that it was a private letter ‘for her father only’ and released text from her that read: ‘Everything you have drafted is with understanding that it might be leaked.
As she was about to send the letter, she wrote, “Honestly Jason. I feel amazing, cathartic, real and honest. And if he leaks that then it will be on his conscience. Otherwise, at least the whole world will learn the truth.” Words that I couldn’t speak out publicly.
But in her written evidence to the Court of Appeal, also published today, Meghan denied she thought it likely that Thomas Markle would leak the document, but had prepared for the possibility. “To make it clear, I didn’t want any of this to be published,” she said.
He also shared with Prince Harry emails he wrote to him expressing his support for briefing the authors about Finding Freedom.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have repeatedly denied contributing to the book – but emails revealed that Harry told Mr Knauf that briefing the authors would ‘help to get some truths out there… especially around the Markle wedding stuff’.
Meghan Markle sues Associated Newspapers Limited [ANL]Over a number of articles that reproduced portions of her letter to Thomas Markle (pictured in combination) in August 2018.
ANL appealed, claiming that the ex-actress wrote the document with ‘public consumption and mind’. ANL claims that Jason Knauf was the former Royal Communications Chief of the Duchess, and is now employed by Harry’s brother Prince William.
According to court records, the Duchess of Sussex shared the draft with Kensington Palace senior aides before the letter was sent. It had been written shortly after Prince Harry and Meghan got married in May 2018.
Details of a private meeting Meghan had with Queen Elizabeth about the ‘tiara incident.’ This was revealed to Finding Freedom authors.
According to the publisher, Meghan cooperated with the authors of “Finding Freedom”, citing evidence from Jason Knauf, her ex-aide
According to Finding Freedom, the Duchess of Sussex informed the writers about her private meeting with Queen Elizabeth. The court was then able to hear the story of Prince Harry’s first relationship.
Andrew Caldecott QC said that text messages and emails revealed by Jason Knauf raised doubts about Meghan’s credibility.
Caldecott: Mr Knauf asserts the Duchess Sussex He replied that his email contained a list of headings from which she requested to be addressed at the meeting with Mr Knauf.
According to reports, her email was approximately two pages in length. She said that she wanted to know what other gaps you would like me to fill out.
Mr. Caldecott stated that Mr Knauf had spoken to Meghan about the book in multiple conversations. He also said the evidence indicated Meghan was not shy about sharing private information with the authors. This refers to information she shared about Samantha and her relationship.
Mr Caldecott added that there was an element in hypocrisy in this situation. Meghan gave details of a private conversation with the Queen regarding the ‘tiara issue’. This is a reference in media claims that Meghan wanted to wear an Emerald tiara. But the Queen chose a Diamond tiara that she had worn since 1932.
According to some reports, the Duchess of Sussex had her heart set on an emerald-colored tiara but she was informed that it was not allowed because they might be Russian.
An insider close to the royal family told The Times that Harry was told by the Queen, “She gets whatever tiara I give her.”
In one text to Mr Knauf in August 2018, Meghan told him: ‘Everything I have drafted is with the understanding it could be leaked, so I have been meticulous in my word choice. I would appreciate your feedback if there is anything you consider a risk.
He was then informed by her: “Given that I’ve only ever called him daddy,” she suggested. It would tug at your heartstrings in case it was leaked. All the rest of it is just facts. It doesn’t seem manipulated or litigious. This is a plea for peace, and it’s a reminder of the fact that this has actually been done.
A fourth text was written by her.
He wrote that Mr Knauf answered a specific question concerning the address of Mr Markle to “daddy” in the letter.
Mr Knauf stated that Meghan “deliberately finished each page half-way through a sentence, so that no page could falsely be presented as the ending of the letter”.
“In the unfortunate event that the information was released, she desired the entire narrative in the letter to her be understood and shared,” he said.
He said that she had felt “fantastic” after having written it. And that, if he does leak it, then it’s his responsibility but the truth will be known to the rest of the world. These are words I would never speak publicly.
The evidence presented by Mr Knauf also refutes Carolyn Durand’s claims that she collaborated with Omid Scobie, Carolyn Durand and Finding Freedom authors. Their controversial biography unleashed a new wave of revelations about the Sussexes’ strained relationship with the Royal Family and Megxit.
Mr Knauf has handed over messages that show Meghan gave him briefing notes in advance of a meeting with authors, including a a number of subjects she would be willing to help them on.
Meghan wrote, “Given our cooperation with this obviously authoritative biography. I must share. This person, who is an authority on the subject and has been tweeting this below, will be uncomfortable sharing. [reference to a screengrab]Please contact us. Could we have a discussion? If there are any discussions about moving forward with them, I believe he should be back-briefed immediately.
After Mr Knauf set up the meeting with Scobie and Durand, he emailed Harry to say: ‘Morning sir. The following are the topics Omid and Carolyn would like to address. These topics are yours to decide whether you wish to share them with the Duchess. Please let me know your thoughts. They will be seeing me this week in order to provide context and factual accuracy’.
Harry replied, “I believe definitely share that with the Duchess. Make the suggestion to her that she has here. Her support will be unconditional and she’ll be completely understanding. I also agree with the fact that it is important to admit we had nothing to do. You have all the background, context, and support to share some of your truths. We appreciate your honesty, particularly around Markle’s wedding. However, we cannot put her in touch directly with her closest friends.
Pictured in New York, September 2009: The Sussexes
Meghan then sent an email to Mr Knauf containing a “number of headings that she obviously wants to be addressed at the meeting between Ms Knauf and authors”, ANL’s Qc Mr Caldecott stated.
According to reports, her email was approximately two pages in length. She said that she wanted to know what other gaps you would like me to fill out.
Five of their friends decided to “help” by anonymously giving interviews to People magazine. The magazine has over 35 million readers around the world. Meghan says she did not know about it
Mr. Caldecott stated that Mr Knauf had spoken to Meghan multiple times about the book. He also said the evidence indicated Meghan was not shy about sharing private information with the authors. This refers to information she shared about Samantha and her relationship.
Mr Caldecott added that there was an element in hypocrisy in this situation. Meghan gave details of a private conversation with the Queen regarding the ‘tiara issue’. This is a reference in media claims that Meghan had wanted to wear an Emerald tiara. But the Queen chose a Diamond tiara that she had worn since 1932.
Andrew Caldecott QC representing Associated Newspapers Limited, (ANL) said that the messages to Mr Knauf showed that the Duchess was ‘happy to have the public read’ her letter.
He stated that the picture submitted to the judge by the claimant was a private photograph, written for Markle only.
This was a point made by the barrister who claimed that High Court Judge had taken into consideration during his decision on privacy. Later, he added that “The current position” was a new and more complex one. He also stated: “The letter was written with readers in mind. She was willing for them to see it, even if Markle leaked it.”
The QC told the court that there had been a ‘false narrative’ about Thomas Markle in the People magazine article.
He declared:[The High Court judge]Although we did not receive any evidence live from Mr Markle in this instance, Mr Markle stated in his testimony that he was stunned by what he saw and that it was not surprising. It is a difficult issue to determine the effect of Mr Markle’s reading.
“If Mr Markle is making a serious accusation, and he has the right to respond, we have the right to transmit the reply. The fact that it has never been published in public domain does not affect the truth of the matter, said the barrister.
“He can show it not only in People magazine but also in his letter.
Harry and Meghan ‘ignored pleas of senior royals to fly to the US and speak to her father’
Meghan was successful in her claim that Mail on Sunday violated her privacy, publishing excerpts from a letter sent by her estranged dad Thomas Markle
Senior Royals encouraged Harry and Meghan, however, to go to America to put to rest the plot with Thomas Markle. According to Court witness statements, they declined.
Jason Knauf claimed that Meghan chose to send the Mail the Sunday letter her estranged father gave her, partly to please her husband’s family.
M. Knauf wrote that he received a number of text messages from the Duchess on 22 Aug 2018. They were about a letter they had written to their father.
She said that she was referring to conversations between The Duke and other members of his extended family. They seemed to be in favor of taking a more direct approach when speaking to Mr Markle, as well as going to see him. This was not supported by the Duke and Duchess.
She wrote to her assistant, “The catalyst to my doing this was seeing how much pain it is causing H” – H refers to Harry.
Mr Knauf stated that this was different than the motivations for possible communication between her father and her in prior conversations she had with me, senior Royal household staff, who tried to support her regarding these matters.
‘The Duchess claimed that she had written the letter partly to let The Duke show his family that action is being taken to stop Mr Markle continuing to interact with the media. She added that “…while unlikely perhaps it will also give my father a moment to pause’.
In her own statement, Meghan addressed these allegations. She stated that senior members of her family, as well as their advisers, expressed concern about the public attack and expressed their wish to see them stop.
‘I was particularly sensitive to it because I just got married to the family and was keen to please them.
“It’s true that the situation (as I stated in my messages to Mr Knauf), was placing significant pressure on my spouse (both from his family and externally), and that it made me feel strongly that I had to take action.
“I thought that my efforts to stop my dad talking to media would fail, but at least my spouse could tell my family that it was something I tried to do.”
Meghan apologizes for misleading the judge. Duchess of Cambridge apologises to her for not disclosing how and why she assisted her brief Finding Freedom authors
Jason Knauf is the ex-communication secretary for the Duke and Duchess.
Meghan Markle has apologized before the Court of Appeal because she did not disclose conversations that Jason Knauf had with her to briefly inform the authors of Finding Freedom.
In her most recent witness statement published today, however, Duchess of Sussex stated that she could not recall the emails or locate them in her own searches.
In addition, the document claims that Mr. Knauf emails helped her case.
“I didn’t have the opportunity to see these emails, and I apologize to the Court that I did not remember these exchanges at the moment.”
I stated that it was not my intention or desire to deceive the Court or the defendant. I actually would have loved to refer to these exchanges if I had known about them at the time that I received the Re-Amended Reply.
She added: ‘Not only do I refer to the background information shared with Mr Knauf as “reminders”, as much of it was information that he had already requested of me dating back to 2016 when he had asked me for a timeline relating to my family to enable him to engage with the media on enquiries, It is also a far cry from the very detailed personal information that the Defendant alleges that I wanted or permitted to put into the public domain’.
She also said that her mother would never leak her handwritten letters from her to her ex-husband, the Duke of Sussex.
Meghan stated that Thomas Markle was unlikely to leak the document in her written evidence before the Court of Appeal. But, she did acknowledge the possibility.
She stated that she didn’t believe that her father would leak or sell the letter. This was mainly because it wouldn’t put him in good stead.
She added, “I had not heard anything from him since our wedding week. But it seemed extremely unlikely that [he] would divulge the contents of the documents because they contained unpalatable facts and would negate all the lies the media had assigned to him.”
The letter had the main goal of encouraging my father to quit talking to the presse.
“To make it clear, I didn’t want any of this to be publicized and I wanted to minimize the chance of it being misinterpreted or manipulated if it was to be used.
When the 2018 letter was sent, Mr Knauf was the communications secretary for both the Sussexes and the Cambridges. He is now head of The Royal Foundation, the Cambridges’ main charitable organisation, but is set to leave this post at the end of the year.
The Court of Appeal is being urged to overturn Mr Justice Warby’s summary judgment and send the case to a full trial, at which the duchess would be expected to be cross-examined.
Meghan’s legal team is opposing the appeal and argues that the High Court judge reached the right conclusions on the evidence before him. It also objects to the introduction of Mr Knauf’s new evidence and says that, if the court accepts his statement, Meghan will also wish to put forward new evidence. According to the court, she has provided a statement of 23 pages.
Her lawyers said her letter to Mr Markle had been ‘self-evidently intended to be kept private’ and that Mr Justice Warby had ‘meticulously assessed the factors’ and was ‘fully entitled to reach the conclusions that he did’. This case will continue until Thursday with a decision to be made at a later time.
‘If you aren’t planning on telling them, can I ?’: Prince Harry asked aide if he could brief Finding Freedom authors
Prince Harry requested Jason Knauf to personally brief Finding Freedom authors, according to witness statements filed at Court.
Mr Knauf stated that the Duke of Sussex sent him pointers via email before a meeting of two hours with Omid Scobie (author) and Carolyn Durand (author).
He said: ‘Are u planning on giving them a rough idea of what she’s been through over the last 2yrs? Cyber bullying, media onslaught and puppeteering Thomas Markle, etc. They should be able to hear from those who were there, even if they don’t use it. So if you aren’t planning on telling them, can I ?!’
Mr Knauf said he replied by saying ‘Of course – I’ve never stopped!’ Harry replied, “Ofcourse – I have never stopped!” Best of luck.