Meghan Markle Threatening Lawsuit Over Pictures of Her and Archie Hiking in Canada

On Monday, Meghan Markle was photographed while out on a hike with her 8-month-old son Archie and her dogs, and according to her lawyers, she wasn’t too pleased.

TMZ reports that lawyers for Markle and Prince Harry sent a cease and desist letter to British press on Tuesday stating that legal action will be taken if they publish or purchase the photos of Markle and Archie taken this week. The duchess was photographed on a hike on Vancouver Island, smiling as she held her son in a baby carrier with the dogs’ leashes in one hand.

“There are serious safety concerns about how the paparazzi are driving and the risk to life they pose,” the letter states.

The letter adds that the photographer who took the photo of Markle and Archie was hiding in the bushes and spying on the former actress and that photographers have “set up camp” outside the couple’s home in Vancouver Island. Photos of Markle’s outing with Archie on Monday have already been posted by several outlets and are still up as of Tuesday, and the letter reportedly implies that a lawsuit is on its way.

In the UK, privacy laws are in place that protect the royals from being photographed in public when they are not on an official appearance, something Canada does not have. Last year, the Sussexes sued multiple tabloids including The Mail on Sunday and the owners The Sun and The Daily Mirror, the former for publishing a letter from Markle to her father and the latter for “illegal interception of voicemail messages.”

After Markle and Harry announced that they would be stepping back as senior members of the royal family, they also announced an updated relationship with the media, sharing on their website that they will no longer be using the Royal Rota system, which gives UK media exclusive access to royal engagements.

“In the spring of 2020, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be adopting a revised media approach to ensure diverse and open access to their work,” the website states. “This adjustment will be a phased approach as they settle into the new normality of their updated roles.”

The site adds that Markle and Harry will aim to “Engage with grassroots media organisations and young, up-and-coming journalists; Invite specialist media to specific events/engagements to give greater access to their cause-driven activities, widening the spectrum of news coverage; Provide access to credible media outlets focused on objective news reporting to cover key moments and events; Continue to share information directly to the wider public via their official communications channels” and “no longer participate in the Royal Rota system.”

Photo Credit: Getty / Max Mumby/Indigo