Meghan Markle is repeating the steps taken by Princess Diana to “try to control the news agenda”, a British author and royal commentator has claimed. Harry Mount also suggested the Duchess has made a mistake by pursuing a privacy case against a leading British newspaper.
Mr Mount said Princess Diana was “the first young royal to try to control the news agenda in 1995”, with her controversial BBC Panorama interview with journalist Martin Bashir.
He suggests Meghan is following down the same path, by suing Associated Newspapers, the publishers of the Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday and Mail Online, for publishing private letters sent to her father, Thomas Markle.
She is seeking damages from the publisher for alleged misuse of private information, copyright infringement and breach of the Data Protection Act.
Associated Newspapers wholly denies the allegations, particularly the Duchess’s claim the letter was edited in any way that changed its meaning, and says it will hotly contest the case.
The commentator, suggested Meghan won’t be the one who benefits from the case.
He said: “The only people who benefit when royals take matters into their own hands are the lawyers.”
Mr Mount, who previously worked as a lawyer, then drew parallels between the two female royals.
Writing in the Daily Telegraph, he said: “The Martin Bashir story and the Duchess of Sussex’s lawsuit highlight the challenges of those who marry into the Firm, particularly independent-minded young women.
JUST IN: Meghan and Harry risk living like Diana in final years warns expert
“The Queen never gives interviews and never goes to law.
“The Duchess of Cambridge is learning to emulate her.”
Mr Mount added: “It is better to be a cypher – i.e. do nothing – than go to law or give interviews to the BBC or ITV.”
In a final warning to members of the Royal Family, he shared a quote by Victorian constitutional writer Walter Bagehot, which reads: “[Royalty’s] mystery is its life.
“We must not let in daylight upon magic.”
Commenting on the phrase, Mr Mount said: “Royalty shouldn’t let in TV limelight upon that magic, either, or the law’s lethal, overpriced gaze.”
