Meghan Markle felt 'unprotected' by royals in face of media claims while pregnant, court documents show

The Duchess of Sussex said she felt "unprotected" the monarchy and was "prohibited from defending herself" against media reports while pregnant, court documents have revealed.

Meghan Markle’s remarks emerged from the latest submissions in her legal action against the publisher of the Mail on Sunday and Mail Online, after articles included extracts of a letter she sent to her father in 2018.

The duchess is suing for breach of privacy and copyright infringement. The publisher denies her claims and said it would hotly contest the case.

In legal filings, her lawyers said Meghan had “become the subject of a large number of false and damaging articles by the UK tabloid media, specifically by the defendant, which caused tremendous emotional distress and damage to her mental health”.

Her legal team also argued that the security costs of her wedding to Prince Harry in May 2018 - which were paid for by the public purse - would have been far outweighed by the tourism revenue it generated which they put at more than £1bn.

She is seeking damages, which she has said will be donated to an anti-bullying charity, from Associated Newspapers for alleged misuse of private information, copyright infringement and breach of the Data Protection Act.

Following a preliminary hearing in May, the judge struck out parts of the duchess's claim against the publisher, including an allegation that it acted "dishonestly" by leaving out certain passages of the letter from her father Thomas Markle.

Mr Justice Warby also struck out allegations that the publisher deliberately “stirred up” issues between Meghan and her father, and that it had an “agenda” of publishing intrusive or offensive stories about her.

Meghan and Harry are now based in California along with their son Archie, having stepped back as senior royals at the end of March.

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