Queen wins gagging order on Daily Mirror

BRITAIN’S Queen Elizabeth II yesterday won a temporary High Court injunction preventing the Daily Mirror from publishing further revelations about journalist Ryan Parry’s employment as a footman in the Royal Household.

The injunction was granted until 4.30pm on Monday to give the newspaper’s lawyers a chance to prepare their case Mr Justice Lewison held that the Queen’s lawyers had a “real prospect” of succeeding in her claim over breach of the terms of Mr Parry’s contract.

He rejected the newspaper’s argument that the material it was publishing was already in the public domain through books written by people such as former royal butler Paul Burrell.

The judge made his decision under “well established” contract law and said contractual rights could be an exception to the principle of freedom of expression under the Human Rights Act.

A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said: “We sought this injunction in order to protect personal privacy and we are satisfied with the progress.”