Meghan Markle accused of 'smear campaign' against half-sister in thrown-out case

13 March 2024 , 05:52

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Meghan Markle has been accused of orchestrating a 'smear campaign' against her half-sister Samantha

Meghan Markle has been accused of creating a "smear campaign" against her half-sister Samantha Markle, following successfully having her defamation case thrown out of court.

Samantha brought a defamation case against Meghan back in March 2022 where she alleged the Duchess had defamed her by giving information to an unauthorised biography called Finding Freedom and by discussing their relationship with Oprah on live TV.

She then accused Meghan and Harry's docuseries, which dropped onto the streaming platform Netflix in December 2022, of spreading "malicious, hurtful, and damaging lies". Samantha also alleged that Meghan made comments seeking to "demonise" her and portray her as a "liar and fame seeker".

READ MORE: Inside Meghan Markle's feud with half-sister Samantha from 'lies' to 'Princess Pushy' claim

Samantha is Meghan's half-sister (7NEWS Australia)

In the court documents, Samantha touches on how when Meghan met Prince Harry and became engaged to him, "the half-sisters became estranged". It is then claimed that in 2017 and 2018, Meghan "hung up on Plaintiff (Samantha) during a phone call and ultimately, of her family members, only invited her mother to the Royal Wedding."

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Meghan began dating Harry in 2016, with their wedding taking place in May 2018. None of Meghan's family, bar her mother Doria Ragland, attended the televised wedding in Windsor.

The court documents also state that Samantha "was subsequently 'discovered' by the media and, in an interview, stated that Defendant (Meghan) had not contacted their father after he suffered two heart attacks", with the documents continuing: "The press used fabricated quotes and wrote that Plaintiff (Samantha) 'bashed' Defendant (Meghan). Subsequently, Defendant (Meghan) allegedly started a 'smear campaign' against Plaintiff (Samantha) and began to resent her."

The case is now to be dismissed, with prejudice, meaning Samantha cannot raise the claim again. Judge Honeywell wrote:" Defendant's (Meghan Markle) Motion to Dismiss for Failure to State a Claim is GRANTED. Plaintiff's (Samantha Markle) Defamation Claims (Count One) are DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE. Plaintiff's Defamation-By-Implication Claims (Count Two) are also DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE.

"The Clerk is directed to enter judgment in favour of Defendant, Meghan Markle (also known as Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex), terminate any pending motions, and CLOSE this case."

Mollie Quirk