New court documents reveal that Meghan Markle, The Duchess of Sussex, feels her mental health suffered badly while she was pregnant with her son, Archie (now a year old). The papers form part of her legal case against a newspaper that she alleges published multiple false stories about her and her family, as well as printing extracts from a personal letter that she wrote to her father.

These new filings were made on 30 June in response to a request from the newspaper. The royals hope they will disprove the newspaper’s core argument that Meghan’s private life was of immense public interest and that the stories they wrote about her were not unlawful.

After being asked to explain why Meghan was especially “vulnerable” when the letter was printed, her legal team said: “The Claimant 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.

As her friends had never seen her in this state before, they were rightly concerned for her welfare, specifically as she was pregnant, unprotected by the Institution, and prohibited from defending herself.”

Max Mumby/Indigo//Getty Images
The Duke And Duchess Of Sussex at a gala during Meghan’s pregnancy

“The response also aims to undermine the Mail’s defence that Meghan arranged for friends to speak to People about her letter to her father (and, therefore, was not entitled to privacy),” tweeted Omid Scobie, a royal correspondent and co-author of an upcoming tell-all biography on Meghan and Harry (written with their permission).

“The docs explain in detail that she did not know about or have anything to do with the article.”

Scobie also wrote on social media that “A source close to the Sussexes explains that this is the Mail on Sunday‘s third request for further information: ‘[The paper] has continued to make a further series of claims about The Duchess, that again, we provided evidence that dismisses these claims one by one’.”

The newspaper defended their decision to publish the aforementioned letter on the grounds that it is of great public interest, saying, “[Royals] rely on publicity about themselves and their lives in order to maintain the privileged positions they hold and promote themselves. [The Duchess] did not have a reasonable expectation of privacy that the contents of the letter were private and would remain so.”

As part of the on-going legal battle, it’s reported that Meghan has hired a solid defence team, including Princess Diana’s former lawyer.