Meghan Markle's estranged father, Thomas Markle, released a private, handwritten letter that she sent to him, to the media.
He claims that he wanted to set the record straight because he felt Meghan's friends "misrepresented" its contents to an American magazine.
Last week, her husband, Prince Harry released a statement in her defense.
"We regard it as a cornerstone of democracy and in the current state of the world – on every level – we have never needed responsible media more."
"A ruthless campaign that has escalated over the past year, throughout her pregnancy and while raising our newborn son."
"As so many of you can relate to – I cannot begin to describe how painful it has been. Because in today’s digital age, press fabrications are repurposed as truth across the globe. One day’s coverage is no longer tomorrow’s chip-paper."
“It is for this reason we are taking legal action, a process that has been many months in the making."
"The contents of a private letter were published unlawfully in an intentionally destructive manner to manipulate you, the reader, and further the divisive agenda of the media group in question."
“There comes a point when the only thing to do is to stand up to this behaviour, because it destroys people and destroys lives. Put simply, it is bullying".
"I’ve seen what happens when someone I love is commoditised to the point that they are no longer treated or seen as a real person. I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same powerful forces," he concluded.
He originally received the letter in 2018 and intended to keep it to himself. But according to Thomas, if not for Meghan's long-time friend revealing its existence to People in February.
At the time, fans suspected that Meghan had authorized her friend to tell the publication that.
"I decided to release parts of the letter because of the article from Meghan’s friends in People magazine. I have to defend myself," he said.
"The letter was presented in a way that vilified me and wasn’t true."
"I have the right to defend myself," he added.
"When I opened the letter I was hoping it was the olive branch I’d longed for. I was expecting something that would be a pathway to reconciliation."
"And never would have, had it not been for the People magazine piece which meant I had to release portions to defend myself. I don’t recognise the person who wrote the letter but I still love my daughter. All it would take is one phone call and most of this craziness would stop."
