Meghan Markle texted a senior royal aide to say she wrote every word of a letter to her father Thomas with the 'understanding it could be leaked' and chose to call him 'daddy' to 'pull at the heart strings' if it became public, the Court of Appeal heard today.
Jason Knauf's bombshell texts and emails with the Duchess of Sussex raise questions about her 'credibility' and expose her 'hypocrisy' including briefing two journalists about her half-sister and a private meeting with the Queen before her wedding to Prince Harry about the tiara she wanted to wear, her privacy trial with the publisher of the Mail on Sunday and MailOnline was told.
Mr Knauf has given a statement to the Court of Appeal that contradicts Meghan's privacy claims including her insistence that it was a private note 'for her father's eyes only', releasing a text from the Duchess that said: 'Everything I have drafted is with the understanding it could be leaked'.
And as the letter was completed she texted: 'Honestly Jason, I feel fantastic, cathartic and real and honest and factual and if he leaks it then that's on his conscience and then at least the world will know the truth. Words I could never voice, publicly'.
But in her written evidence to the Court of Appeal, also published today, Meghan denied she thought it likely that Thomas Markle would leak the document, but had prepared for the possibility. She said: 'To be clear, I did not want any of it to be published'.
The Sussexes' former Kensington Palace spokesman, who now works for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, also shared emails Prince Harry he sent to him saying his former actress wife was '100% supportive' of briefing the authors of the book Finding Freedom.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have repeatedly denied contributing to the book - but emails revealed that Harry told Mr Knauf that briefing the authors would 'help to get some truths out there... especially around the Markle wedding stuff'.
Meghan Markle sued Associated Newspapers Limited [ANL] over a series of articles which reproduced parts of the letter she sent to Thomas Markle (pictured together) in August 2018
ANL have appealed and claim the former actress wrote it with 'public consumption in mind'. ANL has also said that new evidence from the Duchess of Sussex's former royal communications chief Jason Knauf (pictured left behind the couple) who now works for Harry's brother Prince William, 'contradicts' the pleadings before the judge when he ruled in her favour earlier this year
The Duchess of Sussex had shared a draft of the letter with senior aides at Kensington Palace before it was sent shortly after she and Prince Harry got married in May 2018, the court heard.
The publisher argues that Meghan co-operated with the authors of the book 'Finding Freedom', citing evidence from her former aide Jason Knauf
The Duchess of Sussex briefed the authors of Finding Freedom about a private meeting with the Queen and when she started dating Prince Harry, the court heard today.
Texts and emails disclosed by Jason Knauf have raised questions about Meghan's 'credibility', Andrew Caldecott QC has said.
Mr Caldecott says Mr Knauf claims the Duchess of Sussex emailed him with a 'number of headings she evidently wants to be discussed at the meeting between Mr Knauf and the authors', he said.
Her email, which is said to run to two pages, said: 'Please let me know if you want me to fill in any other blanks'.
'Mr Knauf says he had multiple conversations with her about this book at the time', Mr Caldecott said, saying the evidence showed Meghan was 'not shy about giving private information to the authors' and referring to information she gave about her relationship with her half-sister Samantha, which he declined to read aloud.
'There is an element of hypocrisy here', Mr Caldecott said, adding that Meghan also gave details of a private meeting with the Queen about the 'tiara incident', a reference to claims in the media that Meghan reportedly wanted to wear an emerald tiara, but the Queen had selected a diamond tiara that had been worn by her grandmother, Queen Mary, in 1932.
The Duchess of Sussex was said to have had her 'heart set' on a tiara containing emeralds but was told she couldn't wear it because the green stones might have come from Russia.
A royal insider told the newspaper that the Queen stepped in and told Harry: 'She gets what tiara she's given by me.'
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In one text to Mr Knauf in August 2018, Meghan told him: 'Everything I have drafted is with the understanding it could be leaked, so I have been meticulous in my word choice. But please do let me know if anything stands out for you as a liability'.
She then told him: 'Given I have only ever called him daddy, it may it make sense to open as such despite him being less than paternal. And in the unfortunate event it leaked it would pull at the heart strings. The rest is in the spirit of facts rather than seeming orchestrated or litigious. Simply an appeal for peace and a reminder of what is actually happened'.
In a fourth text she said: 'Trust me - toiled over every detail', to which Mr Knauf replied: 'Leave nothing to chance, that's the only way through this'.
Mr Knauf said in his written evidence: 'She asked a specific question regarding addressing Mr Markle as 'daddy' in the letter, saying 'given I've only ever called him daddy it may make sense to open as such (despite him being less than paternal), and in the unfortunate event that it leaked it would pull at the heartstrings'.'
Mr Knauf said Meghan had 'deliberately ended each page part way through a sentence so that no page could be falsely presented as the end of the letter'.
'In the event that it was leaked she wanted the full narrative as set out in the letter to be understood and shared,' he continued.
He added: 'She said she felt 'fantastic' after writing it and added that 'And if he leaks it then that's on his conscious (sic) but at least the world will know the truth. Words I could never voice publicly'.'
Mr Knauf's evidence also contradicts the duchess's repeated denials that she co-operated with the authors of the controversial biography Finding Freedom, Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand. Their controversial biography unleashed a new wave of revelations about the Sussexes' strained relationship with the Royal Family and Megxit.
Mr Knauf has handed over messages that show Meghan gave him briefing notes in advance of a meeting with authors, including a a number of subjects she would be willing to help them on.
Meghan wrote: 'Given we are being asked to cooperate with this evidently authoritative biography, I need to share. I will not be comfortable doing so if this person is considered an authority and is tweeting the below [reference to a screengrab]. Can we set up a chat? I feel he needs to be back-briefed as soon as possible if there is any conversation about working with them moving forward.'
After Mr Knauf set up the meeting with Scobie and Durand, he emailed Harry to say: 'Morning sir. Please see attached the topic areas Omid and Carolyn want to discuss. Please can you decide if you would like to share these with the Duchess. Let me know what you think. I will see them this week to help them with factual accuracy and context'.
Harry then replied: 'I think definitely share this with the Duchess and make the suggestion to her that you have here. She will be 100% supportive and I totally agree that we have to be able to say we didn't have anything to do with it. Equally you have the right context and background and help to get some truths out there. The truth is very much needed and would be appreciated, especially around the Markle wedding stuff but at the same time we can't put them directly in touch with her friends'.
The Sussexes are pictured in New York in September
Meghan then emailed Mr Knauf with a 'number of headings she evidently wants to be discussed at the meeting between Mr Knauf and the authors', ANL's QC Mr Caldecott said.
Her email, which is said to run to two pages, said: 'Please let me know if you want me to fill in any other blanks'.
Five friends had decided to 'help' by giving interviews anonymously to People magazine, which has 35million readers worldwide. Meghan insists she knew nothing about it
'Mr Knauf says he had multiple conversations with her about this book at the time', Mr Caldecott said, saying the evidence showed Meghan was 'not shy
