Meghan Markle admits she passed private information to Finding Freedom authors

The Duchess of Sussex has spoken at Fortune's Most Powerful Women Summit, where she hit out at trolls and discussed life in Los Angeles. Video / Fortune

Meghan Markle has finally admitted she gave information to the writers of controversial biography Finding Freedom via a third party, but claims she didn't do it to "enhance her image".

Meghan is suing Associated Newspapers for publishing parts of a letter she wrote to her father Thomas Markle.

But the publisher has argued that the former actress "co-operated" with the writers of Finding Freedom, which she's always denied - until now, reports The Sun.

Meghan was accused of giving the writers information to "set out her own version of events in a way that is favourable to her".

Now Meghan's court documents have been released, showing she spoke to someone who was approached by biographers Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand to reveal the truth about her father.

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The documents show Meghan was "concerned her father's narrative" that she abandoned him, and which she denies, would be repeated in the biography.

"Accordingly, she indicated to a person whom she knew had already been approached by the authors that the true position as above ... could be communicated to the authors to prevent any further misrepresentation," the documents continue.

But it goes on to say that neither Meghan nor Harry worked with the authors to "reveal their version of events".

The Duchess of Sussex also denies she used the letter to her father as a "media strategy to improve or enhance her knowledge".

And while her lawyers opposed the decision to include the biography in the case, Justice Warby ignored their wishes.

Meghan and her team have continued to deny their involvement, and the authors themselves have insisted the information came from sources and friends.

The couple previously insisted they had nothing to do with the book. Photo / Getty Images

Writer Omid Scobie insists he did not speak to Meghan as he faces the witness stand in her privacy battle.

In his witness statement, Scobie claims it was "false" to suggest that Meghan or Harry collaborated with him.

"They did not authorise the book and have never been interviewed for it. The book was always prepared on the understanding that it was to be independent and unauthorised.

"As journalists we wanted to be able to look into the other side of the story without worrying about offending any collaborators/sources," Scobie said.

And Thomas Markle hasn't been told the "confidential" reason for the nine-month delay requested by his daughter's team - and is said to be concerned he may die before the case starts.

The 10-day trial originally set to start in London on January 11, 2021, has been pushed to autumn next year.

The biography Finding Freedom is a tell-all about Harry and Meghan's experience quitting as senior members of the royal family, in what's now known as Megxit.

Meghan is suing Associated Newspapers over five articles published in February 2019 that republished parts of a handwritten letter she sent to her father in August 2018.