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  1. Media Law
December 4, 2009

Express Newspapers payout over Earl Spencer article

By Oliver Luft

Earl Spencer and his daughter Kitty today accepted substantial damages today over false claims made by the Sunday Express that they acted improperly over his divorce.

The amount of damages to be paid to Spencer, brother of the late Diana, Princess of Wales, and his 18-year-old Lady Kitty was not disclosed at London’s High Court.

Their solicitor, Rod Christie-Miller, told Mr Justice Eady that allegations which appeared in the Sunday Express article “The It-girl making the Spencers glamorous” in August were false.

Spencer and his daughter launched a libel action against publisher Express Newspapers after its newspaper claimed the pair had acted improperly in connection with his divorce from his second wife Caroline, and the division of the family assets.

Today, the court was told the newspaper had offered its sincere apologies for the distress and embarrassment caused and had agreed to pay substantial damages and their legal costs in full.

In a statement issued later, Earl Spencer said: “I hope that this result sends a clear message: that I will not allow my children to be libelled.”

Neither Spencer nor Kitty attended court for the settlement hearing.

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