Johnny Depp's New Girlfriend Has An Unexpected Connection To Meghan Markle
Johnny Depp recently made headlines for romancing his lawyer, but it's not the one you may think. Previously and heavily speculated to be dating Camille Vasquez, his attorney during the Amber Heard trial, Depp is instead dating Joelle Rich, his lawyer from another case. Rich represented Depp during his 2018 libel lawsuit against The Sun, and as an insider informed Us Weekly, she even attended Depp and Heard's trial in Virginia this year. "There was no professional obligation for her being there. It was personal," the source said of Rich's courtroom presence.
Additionally, the insider claimed that the London-based attorney and "Pirates of the Caribbean" star are getting quite serious. "They are the real deal," the source spilled, describing their chemistry as "off the charts." Initially, when their relationship began, the duo would supposedly meet up "discreetly" in hotel rooms.
Prior to Rich, Depp has been single in the public eye for a while. Rich was reportedly married when she met the "Fantastic Beasts" actor, with her having filed for divorce since. As fans learn more about Depp's new lady love, one surprising factoid is her connection to the Duchess of Sussex herself, Meghan Markle.
Joelle Rich has plenty of celebrity client experience
Having represented new beau Johnny Depp once, we guess it shouldn't be a massive heavy shock that Joelle Rich was also Meghan Markle's attorney. Rich clearly has a knack for handling high-profile celebrity cases — especially in the U.K. — as she represented Depp in his 2018 libel suit against The Sun and Markle in her 2019 suit against Associated Newspapers, per Page Six.
Markle had sued the British publishing company, which owns the Daily Mail and the Mail on Sunday, for publishing her private letter to her father, Thomas Markle. With Meghan long-estranged from Thomas amidst other familial dramas, the letter was an obvious target for prying eyes. Although Depp lost his case in court against The Sun, Rich scored Meghan a victory in hers after a December 2021 court ruling that the letter's publication was "unlawful."
The natures of both Depp's and Markle's lawsuits seemed right up Rich's professional alley. Her law firm, Schillings Partners, describes her specialty as helping "individuals and families in the public eye protect their privacy and reputations, both in and outside of the court room." In particular, Rich's expertise lies in protecting public figures from "unwarranted intrusion and media attention." This could come in handy, as she's sure to face unwanted intrusion while dating someone as high-profile as Depp.