One of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Lawyers Represented Princess Diana, Too

They're suing The Daily Mail for publishing Meghan's private letter.

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In October 2019, Meghan Markle (with Prince Harry's support) sued The Daily Mail and its parent company Associated Newspapers over publishing a private letter to her father. Those legal proceedings officially kicked off today, and the couple—no surprise—have an ace legal team working with them, per HELLO!. And one of them is noted celebrity lawyer Barrister David Sherborne, who actually represented Princess Diana too.

Sherborne specializes in "privacy, confidentiality and defamation," and he's worked on phone hacking cases including with actor Hugh Grant. He's also apparently represented Chelsea Clinton, Kate Moss, Kate Winslet, Sir Elton John, the Spice Girls, and the Trumps. Princess Diana often said she felt harassed and threatened by the paparazzi's intrusion in her life, and a reporter was even convicted for invasion of her privacy. So it makes sense that Harry, who referenced the press' treatment of Diana as an important reason why he and Meghan resigned as senior royals, might turn to someone who tried to help protect his mother's safety too.

David-Sherborne

Barrister David Sherborne

(Image credit: Oli Scarff/Getty Images)

According to royal reporter Omid Scobie, the hearing against The Daily Mail started today at 10:30 a.m. BST (5:30 a.m. EST), and Meghan and Harry are expected to listen in on parts of the hearing (which is being conducted virtually):

Apparently the pair "see today's hearing as a procedural step in a longer legal process" but encouraged by the hearing moving forward. Before a trial happens, there also has to be a case management conference, "which is a chance for the court to identify and understand what the real issues in dispute are and to consider whether they can be narrowed."

So we have a little ways to go before anything comes out officially on this, but stayed tuned—it sounds like it's going to be quite a process.

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Katherine J. Igoe
Katherine J. Igoe
Contributing Editor

Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award. 

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.