Meghan Markle has lost the first round of her High Court battle against a newspaper over its publication of a "private and confidential" letter to her estranged father.
Allegations in the Duchess of Sussex's privacy claim against Associated Newspapers, publisher of the Mail on Sunday, were branded "irrelevant" and thrown out by a judge on Friday in the first ruling in the case.
Mr Justice Warby struck off Meghan's claims that the newspaper had acted dishonestly and in bad faith, that it stirred up a conflict between her and her dad Thomas, and that it had an agenda of portraying her "in a false and damaging light”.
A law firm representing Meghan, who is not appealing the decision, said "we are surprised" but insisted the duchess still has a