In the defamation case brought by Samantha Markle, Meghan Markle’s estranged half-sister, a Florida judge ruled in Meghan’s favor.
Samantha Markle filed a federal lawsuit against Meghan Markle in Florida after what she said were defamatory comments, made about her during Prince Harry and Meghan’s appearance on Oprah Winfrey in March 2021.
After Meghan revealed to Oprah that she was raised as an only child, Samantha became upset.
The half-sister filed a lawsuit for $75,000 claiming that the comments had made her feel humiliated.
A Florida judge disagreed and dismissed the case, stating that Meghan was free to express her opinions and that there was no way to contest the veracity of her claims.
According to the report by US District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell, the defendant had opinions about her upbringing, her father, and her relationships with her half-sibling. As a result, the court is unable to independently refute her claims.
Samantha Markle claims that Meghan invented a false “rags to riches” story about her life. She insisted that Meghan had planned a smear campaign against her and their father’s reputation.
Peter Ticktin, Samantha’s attorney, claimed that Meghan made the decision to criticize her father and sister after being exposed for lying about her upbringing. He asserted that his client was harmed by Meghan’s false story.
Michael Kump, Meghan’s lawyer, claimed that the plaintiff lacked sufficient grounds under the law to file a defamation claim against his client. He urged the dismissal of the lawsuit.
The trial judge agreed.
Prior to the Oprah interview in 2021, the half-sisters had been estranged from one another for a very long time.