The secret pun hidden in Meghan Markle's statement after winning lawsuit appeal

We see what you did there, Meghan...

(Image credit: Getty Images)

We see what you did there, Meghan...

Today, the news was announced that Meghan Markle has officially won her case against the Mail on Sunday. The lawsuit has been ongoing for three years, following the tabloid's decision to publish a private letter that Meghan Markle had written to her father, Thomas Markle, back in August 2018.

The Duchess of Sussex claimed the publication of her letter was a breach of her privacy and of copyright, and earlier this year a High Court judge ruled in her favour. The Mail on Sunday went on to appeal against the decision, but the court today ruled in Meghan's favour once more.

It's an issue that is highly personal to both Meghan and Harry, with the Duke of Sussex having previously explained in an emotive statement why legal action was being taken.

"I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same powerful forces," wrote Prince Harry a few years ago. "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."

Today, in celebration of her second win in the battle for privacy, Meghan Markle released a statement of her own. And perhaps we're just reading into things, but it seems she got a little clever towards the end with her use of words...

"This is a victory not just for me, but for anyone who has ever felt scared to stand up for what's right," the statement opened. "While this win is precedent setting, what matters most is that we are now collectively brave enough to reshape a tabloid industry that conditions people to be cruel, and profits from the lies and and pain that they create.

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"From day one, I have treated this lawsuit as an important measure of right versus wrong. The defendant has treated it as a game with no rules. The longer they dragged it out, the more they could twist facts and manipulate the public (even during the appeal itself), making a straightforward case extraordinarily convoluted in order to generate more headlines and sell more newspapers - a model that rewards chaos above truth," Meghan continued.

She went on to say that she has been "patient in the face of deception, intimidation and calculated attacks" over the past three years as the legal case has unfolded. "Today, the courts ruled in my favour - again - cementing that The Mail on Sunday, owned by Lord Jonathan Rothermere, has broken the law," she added.

And it's the last part of the statement that appears to contain a sneaky little pun...

"The courts have held the defendant to account and my hope is that we all begin to do the same. Because as far removed as it may seem from your personal life, it's not. Tomorrow it could be you.

"These harmful practices don't happen once in a blue moon - they are a daily fail that divide us and we all deserve better."

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

The Daily Mail is often referred to as 'the Daily Fail' by those who disagree with its practices. Whether it was intentional or not, we couldn't help but notice that Meghan's statement contained the phrase 'daily fail' and had to take a moment to appreciate its presence.

What do you reckon? Was it a purposeful pun, or a fortunate accident? I guess we'll never know...

Catriona Harvey-Jenner

Cat is a Senior Editor at Marie Claire, covering news and features across the brand's key purpose pillars, including women's issues, politics, career, mental health, female empowerment and equality, as well as books.