Meghan Markle’s lawyers slam Finding Freedom as ‘inaccurate’ after duchess is accused of ‘cooperating’ with authors
MEGHAN Markle’s lawyers have slammed the bombshell book about her exit from the royal family – describing it as being dull and “inaccurate”.
Her legal team has accused the authors of Finding Freedom of simply using already published information to pen their best-selling book.
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They also insist there is no way the American actress could have cooperated with the authors – adding they used “incorrect” details from the couple's first date drinks and FaceTime conversations from the bath.
It is the first time her team has said anything about the book, describing it as just a “product of creative licence”.
Her solicitor and Schillings partner Jenny Afia questioned some of the claims in a witness statement lodged with the High Court as part of Meghan's privacy case against the Mail on Sunday.
'INACCURATE'
The statement is likely to undermine the credibility of the biography, which authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand claim to have written after speaking with more than 100 sources.
According to the , the Mail on Sunday wants to include details from the book in the trial.
The paper insists Meghan gave or allowed others to give the information, friends shared it with the authors without permission or it "is the product of invention by the authors and/or the authors' sources".
The Mail on Sunday argues: “The Claimant does not object to details of her own or other people’s personal relationships and correspondence being publicly disclosed, provided that such disclosure is couched in terms that are favourable and flattering to her.”
Meghan has denied cooperating with the writs of the book, with Mr Scobie saying: “Any suggestion that the duke and duchess collaborated on the book is false.”
The vast majority of these are either extremely anodyne and/or I understand are the product of creative licence and/or are inaccurate."
Jenny Afia
Referring to the claims in the book, Ms Afia said: “The vast majority of these are either extremely anodyne and/or I understand are the product of creative licence and/or are inaccurate.
“It is also debatable as to whether the examples paint the Claimant [Meghan] in a good light as claimed.”
She claims a “detailed” account of Meghan and Prince Harry’s 2016 holiday to Botswana name a safari she had never been on.
Ms Afia also rubbished the claims that the Duke of Sussex met Meghan’s mum for the first time in Los Angeles where they allegedly enjoyed the “most delicious sashimi”.
Meghan, 39, is suing Associated Newspapers over an article that printed parts of the same letter she wrote to her father Thomas, 76.
LEGAL BATTLE
In their defence, Associated Newspapers' lawyers argue Finding Freedom "gives every appearance of having been written with their extensive co-operation".
A ten-day trial is expected to provisionally begin on January 11, and could cost Meghan about £1.8million.
The Mail on Sunday claims Meghan knew it was "likely" her father, Thomas, would publicly share the letter, and had given a copy to the Kensington Palace communications.
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Meghan is suing ANL over five articles in total, two in the MoS and three on MailOnline, which were published in February 2019, and reproduced parts of a handwritten letter she sent to her father in August 2018.
ANL wholly denies the allegations, particularly the duchess's claim that the letter was edited in any way that changed its meaning, and says it will hotly contest the case.
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Meghan and Harry, 36, started dating in July 2016 and were married two years later, before starting a new life in LA earlier this year.
Meghan and Harry stepped down as senior royals in January and have since signed an £112 million deal with Netflix - as well as taking up public speaking opportunities.
