In March 2022, Samantha Markle sued her half-sister, Meghan Markle, for comments she made in the 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey – as well as statements made in a 2020 book titled Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family (a book that Meghan contributed to).
According to Samantha, Meghan’s statements falsely portrayed their relationship and childhood, which cast a negative light on her and her father. Meghan repeatedly said she didn’t have a relationship with Samantha, adding that the two didn’t really grow up with one another and rarely crossed paths.
NEW: Samantha Markle's attorney told me that his client plans to file an amended complaint in her defamation case against her half-sister Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex. It will likely include claims made about Samantha in the Netflix docuseries "Harry & Meghan."
— Ellie Hall (@ellievhall) March 31, 2023
Full statement: pic.twitter.com/yhMhyM5Q6Q
After nearly a year in court, a judge finally dismissed a majority of Samantha’s claims – a small win for Meghan. The judge explained that most of what Meghan said in the interview were her own beliefs and couldn’t be proven as false, but Samantha was given an opportunity to amend her original complaint.
On April 13, Samantha Markle took that opportunity and filed an amended complaint that attempts to accurately quote some of the statements made in the Oprah Winfrey interview – which was one of the major issues with the original complaint. She also added several new complaints to the new filing.
The new complaints regard statements made by Meghan Markle in her most recent docuseries titled Harry & Meghan – which was released between December 8 and 15 of last year, roughly nine months after Samantha filed the first complaint. None of those statements were included in the original lawsuit.
Samantha is claiming that Meghan used the docuseries to ‘publish, promulgate and distribute on a worldwide level malicious, hurtful, and damaging lies many of which were directed at Samantha.’ In the series, Meghan talks about her relationship with her father, Thomas Markle, as well as with Samantha.
“The statements when taken individually or collectively, weave a narrative of lies that Meghan hides behind in an attempt to bolster her own false ‘rags-to-riches’ while actually discrediting her sister calling her a liar and ‘fame seeker,’ and far worse, going so far as to publish statements which imply or state that Samantha is a racist,” the complaint reads.
Samantha Markle Claims Her Reputation Has Been Damaged
In the original complaint, Samantha Markle complained that the comments made by her half-sister resulted in a damaged reputation that spread worldwide. She also claims that Meghan was only making those comments to cover up a lie about her upbringing, considering her family never treated her badly.
“The defamatory statements caused irreparable prejudice, injury, and harm to [Samantha’s] reputation, as well as anxiety and emotional distress,” the court document read. “She has received hate mail, ongoing negative press, and was stalked by one of [Meghan’s] fans,” – adding Samantha was unable to work.
As of right now, the amended complaint will need to be reviewed by a judge, who will determine if the complaint should be taken any further. Samantha Markle is seeking a trial by jury, but it’s up to the judge to determine if that is necessary. No date or timeline has been set, so stay tuned for more information.
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Meghan Markle was born on August 4, 1981, to Doria Ragland and Thomas Markle – a lighting director and director of photography who won an Emmy Award. Samantha Markle was born on November 24, 1964, to Thomas Markle and Roslyn Marie. Meghan also has a half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr.
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