A photographer may have recently claimed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would be “hunted every single day” after moving to Los Angeles but they may be covered by British and European laws.
British media lawyer Mark Stephens, who previously represented Julian Assange, told Newsweek the couple may “be able to sue under the much more stringent British and European laws, even if a publisher is American.”
Harry and Meghan have been open about wanting their privacy, especially when it comes to their 11-month-old son Archie.
Stephens explained, “They can sue in the U.K. if it’s an online publication.
“They have privacy and defamation rights in the U.K. because they both have reputations here.
“The law is easier in the U.K. although, in California, privacy laws have become more stringent over recent years.
“On the whole a claimant lawyer would usually advise them to sue in London because they’ll have a bigger chance of success.”
Newsweek added that “only a handful of U.S. outlets would be exempt from European law,” including the New York Daily News, which blocks access to their website from Europe.
Harry and Meghan’s legal action in the U.S. would be restricted though, when it comes to print or broadcast coverage.
Stephens’ comments come after celebrity photographer Mark Karloff told the Times of Harry and Meghan, “They are going to be hunted every single day, at least for the first few months.
“They’re not going to be able to go out without being photographed.”
He estimated the first clear photo of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex near their new home could fetch up to $100,000.
