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The Duchess of Sussex has alleged that the Daily Mail breached "obvious ethical boundaries" by operating at the bedside of her father, from whom she is estranged, after his claims that he had not received his daughter's messages.

An Open Plea and a Private Struggle

Thomas Markle publicly asked Meghan to visit him in a recent newspaper interview, following having serious surgery in the Philippines.

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

"Given that a Daily Mail reporter has remained at her father’s bedside throughout, broadcasting each interaction and crossing clear ethical lines, it has been extremely hard for the royal to contact her father in private, notwithstanding her attempts over the past few days," the spokesperson stated. "Thanks to trusted contacts, her correspondence is now securely in his hands."

Publisher's Rebuttal

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

"After Thomas Markle was taken ill in the Philippines he contacted Caroline Graham and asked her travel to be with him," said the spokesperson. "Not only is she a journalist, Caroline Graham has been a friend to Mr Markle since 2018. She has been with Mr Markle in hospital every day, offering him care and support."

The spokesperson added, "It is entirely untrue that each exchange has been publicized, and the allegation that journalistic ethics were violated is demonstrably false and vehemently denied."

A History of Strain

The row follows a period of difficulty in which Meghan is understood to have been attempting to reach her father. Her team claim they had faced challenges 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 after a personal letter she wrote to him, extracts of which were published in the Sunday paper, an act she said "actually signalled the end of our relationship, not a reconciliation."

Upcoming Legal Battle

This incident comes weeks before the Duke of Sussex is due to begin a legal case against the owner of the Daily Mail over allegations of illegal data collection.

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