Kate Winslet threatens to sue Fathers4Justice over advertising campaign about her children

The actress has instructed her solicitors Schillings to issue the parents’ rights activists with a legal letter

Kate Winslet has threatened Fathers4Justice with legal action after the group targeted her in a planned campaign that attacked her children’s living arrangements. (Getty Images)

Kate Winslet has threatened Fathers4Justice with legal action after the group targeted her in a planned campaign that attacked her children’s living arrangements.

The actress has instructed her solicitors Schillings to issue the parents’ rights activists with a legal letter in response to her inclusion in their yuletide advertisements, which sees her image appear alongside the caption: “Kate, every child deserves a father this Christmas.”

Her lawyers claim the advert is “misleading and seriously defamatory”, the Telegraph reports.

The British star has three children – two from previous marriages to Jim Threapleton and Sam Mendes, one from current marriage to Ned Rocknroll.

Her ex-husband, director Sam Mendes, who is the father of her son Joe, defended Winslet, telling the Daily Mirror: “It is inappropriate for this organisation to involve my family and I when they know nothing of our personal circumstances.

“Whilst I fully support fathers’ rights, I can happily state this has never been a concern for me or my son.”

The decision to use her image as part of the campaign stems from comments Winslet made about her children’s living arrangements during an interview with Vogue in October.

“My kids don't go back and forth,” she said. “None of this 50/50 time with the mums and dads – my children live with me, that is it.”

Fathers4Justice said: “We are running this advert as part of a campaign to highlight the sensitive issue of four million children waking up on Christmas Day without their father.

“It is clear from what Kate says that she does not support ‘shared parenting’.”

A spokesman for Schillings has since confirmed that the firm had been instructed to act on behalf of Winslet.

Representatives for Winslet have so far declined to comment on the matter.

Winslet welcomed her third child, a baby boy, earlier this month.

“Kate had ‘Baby Boy Winslet’ on Saturday at an NHS Hospital," her spokeswoman revealed, before adding that the couple are “thrilled to bits” with the new arrival.

While the baby boy is the first child for Winslet and Rocknroll, he is her third overall, joining daughter Mia, 13, and Joe, nine.