Meghan Markle courtroom showdown with dad Thomas ‘would be traumatic and uncomfortable for royal family’

MEGHAN Markle’s bombshell courtroom showdown with her dad would be “traumatic and uncomfortable for the royal family”, sources said today.

Later this month lawyers representing the Duchess of Sussex are set to argue their case in her privacy battle against Associated Newspapers, the publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday.

They are expected to call for a summary judgment which, if agreed, will stop any trial taking place at the High Court, reports The Celeb Reportday Times.

According to the paper, they will claim witnesses do not need to give evidence to show her privacy rights were breached when the Mail on Sunday published parts of a letter she wrote to her dad Thomas.

In the extracts, she complained about his behaviour before and after she married Prince Harry in Windsor in 2018.

The case will then be closed if Mr Justice Warby accepts her lawyer’s request for a summary judgment.

COURTROOM DRAMA

However, if he doesn’t, then the drama will continue and Harry could end up meeting his father-in-law, 76, for the first time – in a courtroom.

The prospect of a trial has sent shockwaves throughout as palace royal aides will be expeted to give evidence.

It is believed several staff who worked for Harry, 36, and Meghan, 39, are already preparing for when they are grilled in court.

Some fear the worst and are concerned it would be embarrassing for the royal family.

A senior royal source told the paper: “A trial would be traumatic for Meghan and Harry.

“It will expose palace operations, members of staff would be dragged into it on the witness stands … it would be deeply uncomfortable for the institution.”

Prince Harry announced in October 2019 that Meghan was suing the Mail on Sunday’s publisher after he said the Press had launched a “ruthless campaign” against her.

He said: “I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same powerful forces.”

Associated Newspapers said it would defend its actions and would call Thomas to give evidence after he was quoted saying: “I’ll see Meghan in court.”

Several senior Sussex aides desperately tried to persuade the couple to not puruse with legal action – but they ignored their advice.

A source added: “Before Harry and Meghan pulled the trigger, we wanted to walk them through what it would look like if it went all the way [to trial] and to face up to that.”

However, the couple went ahead and famously left the royal family in a move dubbed Megxit before settling in America.

‘I’LL SEE MEGHAN IN COURT’

In October last year, Meghan won a nine-month delay in her privacy trial.

Her lawyers persuaded a judge to put off the court date until at least late autumn in 2021.

At the High Court, Justice Warby ruled a “confidential ground” submitted by her lawyers means the trial, previously scheduled for January, can be delayed for a further nine months.

The Mail on Sunday did not oppose the postponement after hearing evidence in a closed court session.

Justice Warby warned that revealing the reasons for the adjournment could be an offence of contempt of court.

Meghan was ordered to pay £30,000 towards the cost of bringing the adjournment application.

She also attempted to have the trial halted altogether – with the judge instead making a ruling based on written evidence from witnesses.