Understanding Samantha Markle's Defamation Lawsuit Against Meghan Markle: Key Points Revealed
Delve into Samantha Markle's legal battle as she sheds light on her complex relationship with Meghan Markle through a lawsuit filed in March 2022. Get all the insights and crucial details here.
After a long history of public disputes, Samantha Markle took legal action against her half-sister Meghan Markle in March 2022. She accused the duchess of lying in her 2021 CBS interview with Prince Harry.
In the interview, Meghan, who has two children with Harry named Archie and Lilibet, stated that she and Samantha were never close.
"I grew up as an only child, and everyone around me knows that. I always wished I had siblings. I would have loved to have had siblings," she mentioned, adding that she hadn't seen her half-sister in nearly two decades.
In her defamation lawsuit, Samantha claimed that Meghan was not truthful when discussing their relationship and their father, Thomas Markle, during the interview. She accused Meghan of fabricating stories about her and Thomas to prevent them from contradicting the false narrative and fairytale life she had created.
Scroll on for a breakdown of Samantha’s lawsuit again Meghan:
Meghan Markles Half Sister Samantha Markles Lawsuit
Credit: Shutterstock; Kevin Manning/MEGA
Meghan Markle’s Half-Sister Samantha Markle’s Defamation Lawsuit: Everything to Know
Samantha Markle filed a lawsuit against her half-sister Meghan Markle in March 2022. She alleges that Meghan lied during her 2021 CBS interview with Prince Harry. Meghan stated in the interview that she was never close with Samantha, despite sharing children Archie and Lilibet with Harry.
Samantha expressed her desire for siblings, revealing that she grew up as an only child. She mentioned that she had not seen her half-sister in nearly two decades.
In her defamation lawsuit, Samantha claimed that Meghan was dishonest in her statements about their relationship and their father, Thomas Markle. She accused Meghan of fabricating a false narrative to prevent any interference or contradiction.
Scroll on for a breakdown of Samantha's lawsuit again Meghan:
Meghan Markle’s Sister Samantha Fires Back After Her Tell-All Interview 1
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The Reason Behind Samantha Taking Legal Action
Per the March 2022 docs, Samantha filed a lawsuit in response to Meghan's CBS interview from the previous year.
Samantha stated that Meghan's comments about their family negatively impacted the sales of her autobiography. She also mentioned experiencing emotional and mental distress, as well as difficulty in finding work due to the televised interview.
Samantha also mentioned Meghan's previous comments on funding her college education. She revealed that their father financially supported Meghan's education in prestigious private schools and paid for her tuition at Northwestern University.
February 2021 Everything Thomas Markle Samantha Markle Have Said About Meghan Markle
Credit: YouTube
Samantha's Claims
In the lawsuit, Samantha disputed many of the Tig creator's previous statements regarding their relationship. She disagreed with the claim that they only met "a handful of times" and refuted the assertion that Meghan requested their father's involvement in response to her public remarks.
Samantha also claimed that she was invited to Meghan's first wedding to Trevor Engelson in 2011. The couple ended their marriage in 2013.
Will Meghan Markle Return to the UK After Royal Exit 2
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Next Steps
As per the court documents, Samantha filed a lawsuit seeking compensation for various losses. These include lost employment, income from her autobiography sales, emotional distress such as anxiety and fear from threatening messages, and damage to her reputation.
Samantha is seeking damages "in excess of $75,000.00."
The summons, which was filed on March 4, 2022, also stated that Meghan had 21 days to answer the complaint.
Meghan Markle Explains Why She Used to Enter Her Car Through the Trunk
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Response from Meghan's Attorney
Meghan's attorney, Michael Kump, responded to the allegations in March 2022. He stated to TMZ, "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."
Prince Harry Named in Samantha Markle’s Lawsuit Against Meghan
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A Participant with a Name
In April 2022, Us revealed that Samantha has named the BetterUp CIO in her ongoing lawsuit against her half-sister. According to court records obtained by Us, Harry is noted as an "Interested Person" in the case as Meghan's spouse.
Meghan Markle Files to Dismiss Samantha's 'Meritless' Defamation Lawsuit
Credit: MEGA; Kevin Manning/MEGA
Motion Denied
In June 2022, Meghan filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit against her, calling it "meritless." However, Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell denied the request because Samantha had filed an Amended Complaint. Meghan then submitted a second motion to dismiss. Samantha also tried to have the judge removed from the case, claiming that Honeywell's impartiality would be questioned. Samantha believed that Honeywell, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama, was allies with Meghan and Harry.
Meghan Markle Files to Dismiss Samantha's 'Meritless' Defamation Lawsuit
Credit: Kevin Manning/MEGA
Samantha's Disagreement
Samantha disagreed with Meghan's request for judicial notice in July 2022. Meghan claimed that Samantha was paid for numerous interviews, but Samantha's legal team argued that this was only an implication, not a proven fact. The objection also mentioned information from chapter 12 of Finding Freedom and two court documents from New Mexico related to Samantha.
Royal Family Wishes Meghan Markle a Happy 41st Birthday Following U.K. Visit
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The Outcome
In March 2023, news sources revealed that the planned jury trial for October 2023 was canceled. A judge in Florida sided with Meghan, ruling that her comments in the 2021 CBS interview were just opinions and not defamatory. Additionally, Samantha's claims regarding the book "Finding Freedom" from 2020 were dismissed since Meghan was not the author; the book was written by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand.
Meghan Markle’s Half-Sister Samantha Markle’s Defamation Lawsuit: Everything to Know
Credit: The Mega Agency
A Definitive Ending
In March 2024, a Florida judge ruled to dismiss Samantha’s case with prejudice, meaning she cannot level the claim again.
Court documents obtained by Us revealed that Samantha was unable to provide any statements to support her claim for defamation or defamation-by-implication in her third attempt to amend her complaint.
In response to the ruling, Meghan's attorney Michael J. Kump expressed satisfaction with the Court's decision to dismiss the case.
Editor's P/S:
The ongoing legal battle between Samantha and Meghan Markle highlights the complexities of familial relationships and the impact of public statements on personal lives. Samantha's accusations of defamation stem from Meghan's claims about their relationship and their father in her 2021 interview, which Samantha believes have damaged her reputation and well-being. Meghan, on the other hand, maintains that her comments were protected as opinions and that Samantha's claims lack merit.
The case raises questions about the boundaries between truth and falsehood in public discourse and the consequences of making statements that may be perceived as defamatory. It also underscores the importance of seeking legal advice before making potentially damaging allegations, as Samantha's failure to provide sufficient evidence to support her claims has resulted in the dismissal of her case. Ultimately, the outcome of this legal dispute may have broader implications for how public figures are held accountable for their words and how individuals navigate complex family dynamics in the public eye.
