Meghan Markle Sued By Half-Sister Samantha Markle For 'False' Statements During Bombshell Oprah Winfrey Tell-All
March 4 2022, Published 8:59 a.m. ET
Meghan Markle's half-sister, Samantha Markle, has lodged a lawsuit against her.
Samantha, 56, is accusing Meghan of defamation following her bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey that shook the world nearly one year ago.
In the court documents obtained by Page Six, Samantha accused the former Suits actress of lying about her upbringing and her family life, including claims that she was an "only child" during the sit-down she and royal husband Prince Harry did with Oprah in March 2021.
"The defamatory implication is that Plaintiff had no relationship whatsoever with her sister Meghan, they were virtual strangers and that Plaintiff has created a lucrative career selling false stories to tabloids and television programs when she knows nothing about Defendant's childhood," the docs read.
"Meghan falsely claimed that (a) she essentially raised herself from virtual poverty; (b) she was forced from the age of 13 to work in a series of low-paying jobs to ‘make ends meet,’” the suit reportedly continued.
Samantha also claimed in the docs that her half-sister has been misleading the public about her relationship with their father, Thomas Markle, who is famously estranged from the Duchess of Sussex and did not attend her royal wedding. (As reported by OK!, Thomas staged paparazzi photos ahead of the couple's wedding, much to the dismay of his daughter.)
"Mr. Markle suffered two heart attacks in the weeks before Defendant's wedding in May 2018 due to stress associated with the Royal wedding, the constant hounding and harassment by paparazzi and other media, and upsetting text messages he received from Defendant and Prince Harry, and Mr. Markle’s cardiologist told him he was too sick to travel to England for the wedding," Samantha reportedly added in her complaint. "Mr. Markle did not refuse to attend the wedding, but was instructed by his doctor not to attend the wedding.”
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- Meghan Markle Attempts To Dismiss Half-Sister's Defamation Lawsuit — But Judge Denies Request
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Samantha — who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2008 — also alleged in the suit that Meghan "published and disseminated false and malicious statements about the Plaintiff in New York Times best-selling book, 'Finding Freedom,'" which she described as "nothing more than a book of lies (hereinafter referred to as Defendant’s ‘fairy tale life’ story).”
According to the outlet, Samantha is requesting $75,000 in damages and legal fees.
Meghan's attorney Michael Kump later responded to the allegations in a statement to TMZ, insisting, "This baseless and absurd lawsuit is just a continuation of a pattern of disturbing behavior. We will give it the minimum attention necessary, which is all it deserves."