Posts Tagged: "meghan markle"

UK Judge Backs Meghan Markle over Leaked Letter

The actor Meghan Markle gained fame playing a paralegal in the TV show Suits. Now, as Her Royal Highness, The Duchess of Sussex, she is starring in her own legal drama in London’s High Court. On February 11, Mr. Justice Warby granted summary judgment in favor of the Duchess on most of the issues in her privacy and copyright case brought against Associated Publishers, which publishes the tabloid Mail on Sunday newspaper and MailOnline website in the U.K. The Duchess brought the action over the publication in February 2019 of five articles that included 88 quotations from a letter she had sent to her father, in which she discussed their relationship. She claimed that the publication of the articles involved (1) a misuse of her private information, (2) a breach of the defendants’ duties under data protection law and (3) an infringement of her copyright in the letter.

Five Royal Trademark Lessons from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex

As you’ve most likely heard, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have decided to become financially independent of the Crown. No small task when your security costs are reported to be $1.3 to more than $7 million per year. Ouch! So, what are they planning to do? One hint can be found in the trademark application for “Sussex Royal” that they filed in England on June 21, 2019. This trademark filing provides the opportunity for many lessons to be learned.

Making your Markle: Royal emblems and souvenirs

Souvenir manufacturers need to ensure that consumers are not misled into believing that the Royal Family has commissioned or otherwise endorsed their souvenirs. A breach of the rules, contained within section 99 of the Trade Marks Act 1994, can result in a fine of up to £500, as well as the products being removed from sale. Section 12 of the Trade Descriptions Act 1968 goes further, prohibiting sellers from giving any false indication that they have Royal approval, with a fine of up to £400 and a potential prison sentence. Although these UK rules do not apply in the United States (or elsewhere), there are international laws that might affect the use of some of these Royal emblems outside the UK.