The Duchess of Sussex is suing Mail on Sunday publisher Associated Newspapers after the paper printed parts of a “private” letter between the Duchess and her father Thomas Markle. The trial was due to take place on January 11, with analysts saying it would take around ten days.
However, last month it was reported the Duchess successfully postponed the trial for the best part of a year.
Meghan and her legal team have cited a “confidential matter” as the reason for the delay.
Now, Mr Justice Warby, the judge due to oversee Meghan’s case, will also be involved in Rebekah Vardy’s legal action against Coleen Rooney, reports.
Ms Vardy, wife of Leicester City footballer Jamie Vardy, is suing Ms Rooney – wife of Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney – for libel.
It follows an internet-breaking tweet by Ms Rooney from October 2019.
In it, she alleged Ms Vardy had been leaking information about her to the press via details she was learning from Ms Coleen’s Instagram stories.
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“I’m disgusted that I’m even having to deny this. You should have called me the first time this happened.”
It is reported that multiple attempted out-of-court settlements between the two have been unsuccessful.
As such, Ms Rooney and Ms Vardy are due to appear in a London High Court next Thursday.
Justice Warby is expected to detail what evidence is necessary to move the case forward.
Ms Rooney is due to be represented by celebrity legal expert David Sherborne, who has also worked on behalf of Meghan in the past.
Mr Sherborne was due to represent the Duchess of Sussex in her upcoming Mail on Sunday trial.
However, it was announced in September Meghan had decided to replace Mr Sherborne with another barrister.
It followed the Duchess’ pre-trial hearing defeat, in which she had to drop claims that the Mail on Sunday ‘had executed a persistent negative campaign against her,’ ITV reported.
Meghan is suing Associated Newspapers for breach of privacy, copyright and data protection.
Last month, it was reported that Meghan’s application to disallow Associated Newspapers from using the Sussex biography Finding Freedom as part of its defence was refused.
Sky News reported last month that Meghan’s legal team are appealing for this decision to be reconsidered.
Her legal representatives have denied she and husband Prince Harry “collaborated” with Finding Freedom authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand.
