By Mikhalla Friel From Business Insider

• Meghan Markle’s father could be called to testify against her in court. 
• The Duchess of Sussex is suing the Mail on Sunday over the misuse of private information, infringement of copyright, and breach of the Data Protection Act 2008 after it published excerpts from a letter she wrote to her father last year.
• Thomas Markle has worked closely with the Mail on Sunday’s defence team, and even shared details of text messages between himself, Meghan, and Prince Harry, according to court documents obtained by Insider.
• The newspaper argues that Thomas only released the letter to show his side of the story after his daughter’s friends spoke about it in an interview with People magazine back in February. 
• A court date for the case is yet to be announced, however it’s likely Thomas could fly to the UK to testify when the day comes.
• He has been used as a key witness in the documents drafted by the Mail on Sunday’s defence team. 
• In the documents, Thomas says after telling Harry and Meghan that he would not be attending their wedding, he received a response “admonishing [him] of causing hurt to his daughter.”
• He added that the duke and duchess did not ask about the heart procedure he had just undertaken in their text message.
• Buckingham Palace is yet to make an official statement. 

Thomas Markle could be called to testify against the Duchess of Sussex in the Mail on Sunday court case.

Meghan Markle’s father appears to be working closely with the publication’s defence team, according to court documents obtained by Insider.

Meghan Markle is suing the Mail on Sunday over the misuse of private information, infringement of copyright, and breach of the Data Protection Act 2008 after it published excerpts from a letter she wrote to her father last year.

However, the newspaper’s defence papers argue that there was “huge and legitimate public interest” in the royal family, including its “personal and family relationships.”

It’s likely Thomas could fly to the UK to testify against his daughter in court, for which an official date is still to be announced.

He has been used as a key witness in the documents drafted by the Mail on Sunday’s defence team.

The newspaper  argues that Thomas only released the letter to show his side of the story, after his daughter’s friends spoke about it in an interview with People magazine back in February. 

In the interview, one anonymous friend told the publication: “After the wedding, she wrote him a letter.

“She’s like, ‘Dad. I’m so heartbroken. I love you, I have one father. Please stop victimizing me through the media so we can repair our relationship.'”

Thomas has also gave the court details of text messages exchanged between himself, Meghan, and Prince Harry in the lead up to the royal wedding in 2018.

Thomas says he texted his daughter to say he couldn’t come to the wedding the day after the story about his staged paparazzi photo broke, “stating that he was sorry; that he loved her and that he would not be attending the wedding; and that he was going to make a public apology to the Claimant and Prince Harry.”

“He wanted to spare the Claimant any further embarrassment,” the documents state. “He received a text response from Prince Harry saying that he (Mr Markle) did not need to apologise and that he should call.”

The following day Thomas was admitted to hospital and underwent an emergency heart procedure. He texted the duchess to let her know he “would not be able to attend the wedding because his doctors would not allow him to fly.”

In response, Thomas says he received a text signed “Love M and H,” “admonishing [him] of causing hurt to his daughter.” He added that the duke and duchess did not ask about the surgery in their text message.

The Mail on Sunday has not publicly commented on the new developments in the case.

However, the publication previously told Insider: “The Mail on Sunday stands by the story it published and will be defending this case vigorously.

“Specifically, we categorically deny that the Duchess’s letter was edited in any way that changed its meaning.”

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