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The Duchess of Sussex has alleged that the newspaper breached "clear ethical boundaries" by operating at the bedside of her estranged father, following his assertions that he had not gotten his daughter's communications.

A Public Appeal and a Private Struggle

Meghan's father appealed to Meghan to see him in a recent newspaper interview, following having major surgery abroad.

However, a spokesperson for Meghan stated that she had been attempting to reach her father and criticised the publication's conduct.

"Given that a journalist from the outlet has stayed at her father’s bedside throughout, broadcasting each exchange and breaching clear ethical lines, it has been extremely hard for the royal to contact her father privately, notwithstanding her efforts over the past several days," the representative said. "With the support of trusted contacts, her message is now safely in his hands."

Publisher's Rebuttal

A spokesperson for the parent company of the newspapers rejected any ethical breach and stated that Mr. Markle was a longtime acquaintance of the journalist who spoke with him.

"When Thomas Markle was fell ill in the Philippines he reached out to Caroline Graham and requested she travel to be with him," stated the spokesperson. "As well as being a journalist, she has been friends with Mr Markle since 2018. She has been with Mr Markle in hospital every day, providing him with care and support."

The spokesperson added, "The claim is completely false that each exchange has been broadcast, and the suggestion that ethical boundaries were violated is patently untrue and strongly contested."

A History of Strain

The row follows a period of difficulty in which Meghan is understood to have been trying to contact her father. Her team say they had struggled to find him or find a way to communicate with him privately.

Meghan has been distant from her father since her wedding, when she married Prince Harry. The father-daughter bond soured further when a personal letter she wrote to him, extracts of which were published in the Sunday paper, which she said "actually signalled the end of our relationship, not a reconciliation."

Forthcoming Court Case

This disagreement comes weeks before the Duke of Sussex is scheduled to start a legal case against the publisher of the Daily Mail over claims of unlawful information gathering.

In that court case, set for next month, the publisher is being taken to court by Prince Harry and a group of high-profile individuals. The plaintiffs allege the newspaper group carried out illegal practices. The publisher strongly disputes all accusations.