Meghan Markle’s Ongoing Legal Dispute with Half-Sister Samantha
Meghan Markle is gearing up for another legal battle with her half-sister, Samantha Markle.
Samantha has taken Meghan to federal court in Florida, alleging that Meghan made “clearly false and malicious statements” during her interview with Oprah Winfrey in early 2023. This lawsuit, which seeks $75,000 in damages, stems from Meghan’s comments about being the only child, which were aired in March 2021.
Samantha, who shares the same father as Meghan, claims that these remarks subjected her to “humiliation and hatred.”
A judge from the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals was set to hear the lawsuits starting August 11th, but recent filings now indicate that a hearing will be held in Jacksonville, Florida, on September 9th.
Meghan’s team has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding this latest development.
Before this case, Samantha had filed a defamation lawsuit against Meghan in late 2022, which was dismissed with Meghan’s lawyers criticizing it as lacking merit.
In her previous legal pursuit, a judge ruled in favor of Meghan, stating that her comments were merely opinion and not provably false.
Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell noted that “a reasonable listener understands” Meghan was expressing her thoughts on her childhood and her relationship with Samantha.
Samantha has made allegations against the royal family while trying to revive her acting career. In another development, Meghan’s lawyer argued that Samantha’s case lacks a legitimate basis and that Meghan, as a former royal, has the right to express her views under the First Amendment.
The sisters have had a rocky relationship over the years, exacerbated by the infamous tell-all interview.
Meghan has accused both Samantha and their father, Thomas Markle Sr., of sharing private details with the British tabloids. Samantha, on the other hand, continues to criticize Meghan and her husband, Prince Harry, especially as they release documentaries and other personal projects.
In the past, Meghan has insisted she has no relationship with Samantha. In the 2022 Netflix documentary, *Harry & Meghan*, she mentioned that their connection is pretty distant.
“I don’t know your middle name, I don’t know your birthday,” she remarked about Samantha. “I didn’t have a fallout with her; we weren’t close enough to have it.”
Additionally, Meghan noted that the last time she saw Samantha was when she was in her early 20s.
