Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, is awaiting a ruling on the first stage of her privacy claim against a British newspaper that published part of a letter to her estranged father.
Meghan is suing Associated Newspapers over articles published in the Mail on Sunday and MailOnline in 2019 that reproduced parts of a handwritten letter she sent to Thomas Markle, 75, in 2018.
One headline read: "Revealed: The letter showing true tragedy of Meghan's rift with a father she says has 'broken her heart into a million pieces'."
Lawyers for the publisher asked for parts of the duchess's case to be struck out in a London preliminary hearing that was conducted remotely on Friday.
The judge was told the letter was published to satisfy the curiosity of readers, which the newspaper had "deliberately generated".
Lawyers representing Meghan said the publisher had "stirred up" the dispute between her and her father.
But counsel for the publisher said the allegations were "objectionable".
David Sherborne, for Meghan, said the publisher had "harassed" Markle and "manipulated this vulnerable man into giving interviews" which Mr Markle later described as "lies and bullshit".
In written documents prepared for the hearing, Mr Sherborne said no consent was sought from Meghan in advance of the articles being published.
He claimed this was a deliberate decision to avoid risk of her seeking to prevent publication and also to secure the enormous "scoop'" with such a "highly sensational story".
Mr Sherborne also said the publisher deliberately misled the public by presenting a false picture of the letter.
He said it did this by leaving out parts of it that demonstrate Meghan's "care for her father and others, as well as her concern about the UK tabloid media exploiting her father, and the fact that she addresses untruths previously published by the defendant".
Andrew White QC, for the publisher, argued some of Meghan's allegations were irrelevant and had no proper legal basis.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Source: Press Association
" ... It appears that the claimant has seen fit to put these allegations on the record without having spoken to Mr Markle, verifying these allegations with him or obtaining his consent (she admits ... that she has had no contact with him since the wedding)," he said in written documents before the court.
"It is therefore highly unlikely that she has any credible basis for these allegations of impropriety towards him, or that proper particulars could be given."
Mr White also said it was common for the media to summarise or edit documents when reporting current events.
The duchess is seeking damages from Associated Newspapers for alleged misuse of private information, copyright infringement and breach of the Data Protection Act.
Meghan has previously said any damages she may be awarded if she wins her case will be donated to an anti-bullying charity.
Associated Newspapers denies the allegations and says it will hotly contest the case.
It is understood Harry and Meghan listened online to the parts of the hearing conducted by her lawyers.
