Coleen Rooney and Rebekah Vardy are reportedly set to kick off their legal battle in just three weeks time.
The WAGS, 34 and 38 respectively, have been preparing for the court case over recent months following an explosive post made last year by Coleen accusing Rebekah’s Instagram account of leaking stories about her.
It is now thought that the pair have been given the date November 19 for their ‘meanings hearing’, reports The Sun.
Almost time? Coleen Rooney and Rebekah Vardy are reportedly set to kick off their legal battle in just three weeks time (Coleen is pictured in 2016)
During this hearing it is understood that mum-of-four Coleen will have to explain what she meant in her allegations and show that she has ‘reasonable grounds’ to claim that Rebekah made up the stories ‘directly or indirectly’.
While Rebekah and her legal team will have to describe how they mean to prove her libel claim against Coleen at the half-day hearing.
However, although the date has reportedly been set, neither Coleen or Rebekah are expected to be there in person.
After hearing both sides’ arguments, a judge will then set out the parameters for the trial which will kick off in full next year.
MailOnline has contacted representatives for Coleen and Rebekah for a comment.
Showdown? It is thought that the WAGs have been given the date November 19 for their ‘meanings hearing’ ahead of the full trial kicking off next year (Rebekah is pictured)
It has now been a year since Coleen accused nemesis Rebekah’s Instagram account of leaking stories about her in a post which caused fans to dub her Wagatha Christie – due to her detective skills.
The mother-of-four, who shares Kai, 10, Lay, seven, Kit, four, and Cass, two, with footballer Wayne, 34, reportedly wants to end the £1million High Court libel battle against the wife of Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy.
Sources claim those close to Coleen have been encouraging her to settle their dispute privately, after her rival confirmed she is taking part in Dancing On Ice and has vowed to ‘clear her name’.
An insider told The Sun: ‘Things have gone much further than many had expected.
The full statement: Coleen made claims against Becky on social media last October after discovering she had been betrayed by someone close to her
‘Coleen is a rather shy and private person, so the idea of having personal matters relating to her and Wayne raked over in court is something that fills her with dread.’
Rebekah is seeking substantial damages in the subsequent libel trial, as she claims to have suffered ‘severe and extreme hostility and abuse’ in the fallout after the claims were published on Instagram.
The Mirror previously reported that judge Mr. Justice Nicklin had stated a preliminary trial will decide the ‘natural and ordinary’ meaning of Coleen’s social media posts.
He had also given Coleen until October 2 to serve a ‘statement of case’.
In the September 17 court order he stated: ‘It is ordered by consent that there be a trial of the preliminary issue of the natural and ordinary meaning of the words complained of.’
The half-day trial, he has stated, would be heard by a judge specialising in media and communication after November 15.
Last year, Coleen released a statement admitting she has been planting false Instagram stories on her private page and blocking all her other friends to prove that Rebekah was the guilty party.
She admitted that stories about her basement flooding, gender selection and so on were only viewed by Rebekah and these were subsequently followed by outlets.
Rebekah subsequently hit back at the star and insisted the claims were false.
In her original post, Coleen wrote: ‘For a few years now someone who I trusted to follow me on my personal Instagram account has been consistently informing The Sun newspaper of my private posts and stories.
‘There has been so much information given to them about me, my friends and my family – all without my permission or knowledge. After a long time of trying to figure out who it could be, for various reasons, I had a suspicion.
Ongoing war: It’s a year since she accused her nemesis’ Instagram account of leaking stories about her in a post (pictured in 2017)
‘To try and prove this, I came up with an idea, I blocked everyone from viewing Instagram except ONE account. ‘
She continued: ‘(Those on my private account must have been wondering why I haven’t had stories on there for a while). Over the past five months I have posted a series of false stories to see if they made their way into the Sun newspaper.
‘And you know what, they did! The story about gender selection in Mexico, the story about returning to TV and then the latest story about the basement flood in my new house.
‘It’s been tough keeping it to myself and not making any comment at all, especially when the stories have been leaked, however I had to. Now I know for certain which account/individual it’s come from.
Red hot! Rebekah showed off the results of her gruelling Dancing On Ice training as she wowed in a collection of new sizzling snaps to Instagram on Friday
‘I have saved and screenshotted all the original stories which clearly show just one person has viewed them. It’s……… Rebekah Vardy’s account.’
She also wrote: ‘This has been a burden in my life for a few years now and finally I have got to the bottom of it……’
Rebekah hit back minutes later on social media and denied the accusations. She wrote: ‘Can’t believe I’m even having to write this. I’m pregnant & on holiday & am at a loss to why she would do this.
‘I’m now having to take legal advice as I can’t deal with this stress myself when I’m this pregnant.’
She also shared: ‘As I have just said to you on the phone, I wish you had called me if you thought this.’