The Duchess of Sussex insists she didn't collaborate with the author of a new book titled 'Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family.'

• Sep 23, 2020

AceShowbiz - Meghan, Duchess of Sussex's lawyers have denied she collaborated with the authors of a new book about her life with British royal Prince Harry at a court hearing in London on Monday (21Sep20).

The former actress is seeking damages from publisher Associated Newspapers for alleged misuse of private information, copyright infringement and data protection breaches - relating to the publication of a letter she wrote to her father, Thomas.

Attorneys for Associated Newspapers, who publish U.K. tabloids The Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday sought to amend their defence at the hearing.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, they claim that Meghan made her personal information public by working with Carolyn Durand and Omid Scobie, the authors of "Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family", which purported to give an inside account of her and Harry's marriage and their decision to step back from royal duties and move to the U.S.

Responding to the claims, Meghan's lawyer Justin Rushbrooke wrote in a submission to the court, "The claimant and her husband did not collaborate with the authors on the book, nor were they interviewed for it, nor did they provide photographs to the authors for the book."

On Tuesday, her lawyers also dismissed claims made in the book as "extremely anodyne," "the product of creative licence," and "inaccurate."

Scobie also made a written submission which stated, "Any suggestion that the Duke and Duchess collaborated on the book is false."

Associated's lawyers claim Finding Freedom "contains a great deal of detailed information about (Meghan's) personal life, including a number of passages referring to her relationship and communications with her father, and a section referring to the letter which is at the heart of this case."

Their senior barrister Antony White claimed the book appeared to have been written with Meghan and Harry's "extensive cooperation."

Following a hearing in May, a judge dismissed parts of Meghan's complaint, including allegations Mail editors acted "dishonestly" by leaving out parts of her letter to her dad, which expressed dismay at his decision to speak to tabloids before her 2018 wedding.

Last month a judge ruled that the royal does not have to make public the names of five close friends who defended her anonymously in a People magazine article.