「英王室は私を守らなかった」　大衆紙裁判でメーガン妃

【ロンドンＡＦＰ＝時事】英王室を離脱したヘンリー王子の妻メーガン妃が、疎遠になった父親に宛てた手紙を掲載した大衆紙の発行元を訴えた注目の裁判で、英王室は「偽りで有害な」報道記事から自身を守らなかったと主張していることが、リークされ2日に報道された陳述書で明らかになった。（写真はヘンリー英王子とメーガン妃）
　メーガン妃は、自身が２０１８年に父親のトーマス・マークルさんに送った手紙の一部を、メーガン妃がヘンリー王子と結婚した後の２０１９年２月に掲載したことは自身のプライバシー、データ保護権、および著作権の侵害にあたるとして、大衆日曜紙メール・オン・サンデー、デーリー・メール、そしてインターネットサイトのメールオンラインを所有するアソシエーティド・ニューズペーパーズを訴えている。
　陳述書でメーガン妃は、「英タブロイドメディア、特に被告によって、多数の偽りで有害な記事の主題となり、極めて大きな感情的苦痛が引き起こされ精神的健康が損なわれた」と提示した。さらに、英王室は言いがかりのような報道からメーガン妃を守らず、「（メーガン妃が）自己弁護することを禁じた」としている。
　今年英王室を離脱したヘンリー王子夫妻は、メディア、特にタブロイドメディアと激しい闘いを繰り広げている。現在、息子のアーチーちゃんと共に米カリフォルニア州で暮らしているヘンリー王子夫妻は、メンタルヘルス、教育、福祉の問題に取り組む非営利団体を立ち上げた。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2020/07/03-11:43）

The Duchess of Sussex has claimed she was left unprotected by the royal family from false and damaging media articles when she was pregnant, according to leaked documents published on Thursday.
The claims were made in submissions as part of her high-profile case against the Mail on Sunday, website Mail Online and its owner Associated Newspapers.
The duchess, former American actress Meghan Markle, is claiming breach of privacy, data protection rights and copyright over the publication of extracts of correspondence to her estranged father, Thomas, after her wedding to Prince Harry.
In the papers, she submitted she had become the subject of a large number of false and damaging articles by the UK tabloid media, specifically by the defendant, which caused tremendous emotional distress and damage to her mental health.
The institution of the monarchy failed to protect her from the accusations and she was prohibited from defending herself, they added.
The documents also refer to an article published in People, a US magazine, where five unnamed friends claim they were rightly concerned for her welfare following the reports.
The papers, widely cited in the British media on Thursday, add that Markle was not involved with the interview.
They also claim that her May 2018 wedding to Harry, grandson of Queen Elizabeth II, helped generate ��1 billion $1.3 billion, 1.1 billion euros) in tourism revenue.
The couple quit frontline royal duties earlier this year and have waged an increasingly bitter war with the media, particularly the tabloid press.
Harry has likened what he said was a ruthless campaign against his wife to the treatment of his mother, Diana, princess of Wales.
She was killed in a high-speed car crash in Paris in August 1997, while being pursued by paparazzi photographers.
The couple now live with their young son, Archie, in California and have set up a non-profit organisation focusing on the promotion of mental health, education and well-being.
A judge in the case has already struck out parts of the duchess' claims, including that Associated Newspapers acted dishonestly and in bad faith and deliberately dug up or stirred conflict between her and her father.
The news group denies wrongdoing, and maintains publication was in the public interest and on freedom of expression grounds.