Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, has emerged victorious in a legal dispute against her half-sister, Samantha Markle. In a recent ruling, a federal judge dismissed Samantha’s defamation lawsuit against Prince Harry’s wife, rejecting her allegations of “disparaging, hurtful, and false” statements made by Meghan.
U.S. District Judge Charlene Honeywell dismissed the case after finding that Samantha Markle failed to provide any evidence supporting her claims of falsehoods uttered by Meghan. The lawsuit stemmed from remarks made by Meghan in the Netflix documentary series “Harry & Meghan,” her memoir “Finding Freedom,” and during an interview with Oprah Winfrey, where Meghan referred to her half-sister as a “deceptive fame-seeking imposter with avaricious intentions.”
Samantha had sought $75,000 in damages, but the judge dismissed the case with prejudice, preventing the possibility of refiling the same allegations. Judge Honeywell characterized the incidents mentioned in the lawsuit as merely differing opinions. Meghan’s attorney, Michael Kump, expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision, stating they were “pleased with the Court’s ruling dismissing the case.”
Notably, this is the second time Samantha, 59, has attempted to sue Meghan, 42, with both previous cases meeting dismissal. In response to the 2023 lawsuit, Judge Honeywell remarked that Meghan’s statements were expressions of opinion about her childhood and relationship with her half-siblings, rather than verifiable claims.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, relinquished their royal duties four years ago and have since resided with their children in California.