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    Court documents reveal what Prince Harry actually texted Thomas Markle

    And it’s heartbreaking.

    Jenny Proudfoot's avatar
    By Jenny Proudfoot
    Published 27 April 2020 In News

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    (Image credit: Getty Images)
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    And it’s heartbreaking.

    The Duke and Duchess of Sussex made waves last year as they announced they were taking legal action against the Mail on Sunday after the tabloid published a message that Meghan Markle had written to her father, Thomas Markle.

    According to Meghan, the publication misquoted her messages with her father in order to portray her negatively.

    The Sussex couple have since gone on to take legal action against multiple tabloids following the relentless slander targeting Meghan Markle.

    ‘I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same powerful forces’, Prince Harry explained, referring to the constant abuse his wife has faced since becoming a royal.

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    ‘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, which scares and silences people. We all know this isn’t acceptable, at any level. We won’t and can’t live in a world where there is no accountability for this.’

    Getty Images

    Their lawsuit has been making headline news this week, with Meghan Markle finally revealing the text messages between the couple and her father as part of her legal action against the Mail on Sunday.

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    According to the court documents, after repeatedly engaging with the press Thomas Markle sent Meghan an apologetic text to inform her that he wouldn’t be attending her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry.

    Following several missed calls from the Sussexes to Thomas Markle, the documents allege that Prince Harry got in touch on Meghan’s behalf, sending the following messages:

    ‘Tom, it's Harry and I'm going to call you right now. Please pick up, thank you’

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    Later, he reportedly sent a follow up text:

    ‘Tom, Harry again! Really need to speak to u. U do not need to apologize, we understand the circumstances but "going public" will only make the situation worse. If u love Meg and want to make it right please call me as there are two other options which don't involve u having to speak to the media, who incidentally created this whole situation. So please call me so I can explain. Meg and I are not angry, we just need to speak to u. Thanks’

    He then reportedly sent another message, stating: ‘Oh any speaking to the press WILL backfire, trust me Tom. Only we can help u, as we have been trying from day 1.’

    The Sussex couple's lawsuit claims that the newspaper edited the messages in order to paint Meghan and Harry negatively, 'intentionally [omitting]’ any reference of the couple’s concerns for Thomas’ wellbeing and protection.

    The case is still ongoing.

    Jenny Proudfoot
    Jenny Proudfoot
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    Contributing Features Editor

    Jenny Proudfoot is an award-winning journalist, specialising in lifestyle, culture, entertainment, international development and politics. After working at Marie Claire UK for seven years - rising from intern to Features Editor - she is now a freelance contributor to the News and Features section.

    In 2021, Jenny was named as a winner on the PPA's '30 under 30' list, and was also listed as a rising star in journalism.

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