September 2017 to October 2019 – The Sun publishes several articles about Coleen, including that she traveled to Mexico to investigate ‘gender selection’ treatment for babies, her plan to revive her television career and the flooding of her basement.

October 9, 2019 – Coleen takes to social media to accuse Rebekah of selling stories from her private Instagram account to tabloids.

Coleen says she spent five months trying to find out who was sharing information about her and her family based on posts she had made on her personal social media page.

After sharing a series of “fake” stories and using a deletion process, Coleen claims they were viewed by an Instagram account, belonging to Rebekah.

Rebekah, then pregnant with her fifth child, denies the allegations and says several people had access to her Instagram over the years.

She claims to be “very upset” by Coleen’s accusation, later adding: “I thought she was my friend, but she completely annihilated me.”

The public dispute is making headlines around the world, with the hashtag #WagathaChristie trending.

How it all started: On October 9, 2019, Coleen Rooney, now 36, accused Rebekah Vardy, 40, of leaking ‘false stories’ about her to the press in an Instagram post (above).

February 13, 2020 – In a tearful appearance on ITV’s Loose Women, Rebekah says the stress of the row caused her severe anxiety attacks and she “ended up in hospital three times”. Coleen says in a statement that she does not want to “engage in further public debate.”

Shortly after Coleen’s public accusation, Rebekah, who was pregnant and on holiday in Dubai at the time, denied any involvement (above).

June 23, 2020 – It turns out that Rebekah has started defamation proceedings against Coleen.

Rebekah’s lawyers allege that she “suffered extreme distress, pain, anxiety and embarrassment as a result of the publication of the post and the events that followed.”

November 19-20, 2020 – The defamation battle has its first hearing at the High Court in London. Judge rules Coleen’s October 2019 post “clearly identified” Rebekah as “guilty of serious and ongoing breach of trust.”

Judge Warby concludes that the “natural and ordinary” meaning of the posts was that Rebekah had “regularly and frequently abused her status as a trusted follower of Coleen’s personal Instagram account by secretly informing The Sun of the posts and stories.” Coleen’s privates.”

February 8 and 9, 2022 – A series of explosive messages between Rebekah and her agent Caroline Watt, which Coleen’s lawyers say were about her, are revealed at a preliminary court hearing.

The court was told Rebekah was not referring to Coleen when she called someone a “nasty bitch” in an exchange with Ms Watt.

Coleen’s lawyers seek further information from WhatsApp messages, but the court is told Ms Watt’s phone fell into the North Sea after a boat she was traveling on hit a wave, before it was could extract more information.

February 14 – Coleen is refused permission to bring a High Court claim against Ms Watt for misuse of private information to be heard alongside the defamation battle. A High Court judge, Ms Steyn, says the offer was made too late and that no previous opportunities had been taken to make the claim.

April 13 – Ms Watt is not fit to give oral evidence in the upcoming defamation trial, the High Court is told as the case returns for another hearing.

The agent revokes permission to use her witness statement and withdraws her resignation that would have allowed Sun journalists to say whether she was the source of the allegedly leaked stories.

April 29 – Rebekah “seems to accept” her agent was the source of allegedly leaked stories, Coleen’s lawyer David Sherborne tells the High Court. He maintains that a new witness statement submitted by Rebekah suggests Ms Watt was the source, but Rebekah claims she “did not authorize or forgive her”.

Rebekah’s lawyer, Hugh Tomlinson, says the statement contained “no change to the stated case”, and that his legal team had no communication with Ms Watt.

May 10 onwards – The trial lasts seven days.