Samantha Markle is planning to take more legal action against her half-sister Meghan. Photo / Supplied
Samantha Markle is planning to take more legal action against her half-sister Meghan. Photo / Supplied
The Duchess of Sussex’s half-sister is planning to refile an “even stronger” defamation case against her sibling.
Samantha Markle’s legal team has revealed it will focus on comments Meghan made during her and the Duke of Sussex’s 2021 television interview with Oprah Winfrey.
The lawyers’ announcement comes after a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/meghan-markle-wins-bid-to-have-half-sister-samanthas-defamation-case-dismissed-by-judge/UXDBGL44I5C75HKURHD3SZTDBM/" target="_blank">Florida judge last week threw out part of the case related to the biography Finding Freedom by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand.
Meghan Markle has won the bid to have her half-sister’s defamation lawsuit dismissed by a judge. Photo / Getty Images
The sister claimed the duchess spread “demonstrably false and malicious lies” to a “worldwide audience” in the book and her CBS television interview.
The $75,000 ($119,995) lawsuit claimed Samantha was subjected to “humiliation and hatred” after her sister said she felt she grew up as an only child.
She told the court her estranged sister had also caused her “great harm” by suggesting she had only changed her surname back to Markle to cash in on the royal connection.
The duchess’ legal team argued that she did not deny having a half-sister and that her opinions and recollections of growing up were not “proper subject matter” for litigation in court.
Samantha's next lawsuit will reportedly focus on Harry and Meghan's interview with Oprah Winfrey. Photo / Supplied
‘Not every perceived slight’ should be litigated
Michael Kump, for the duchess, said that “not every perceived slight” should be litigated and that calling someone an opportunist was not defamatory.
Kump argued that the duchess had not accused Samantha Markle of changing her name to “cash in on her newfound fame”.
Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell found that the duchess was expressing an “opinion about her childhood” and relationship with her half-siblings that cannot be disproved, and so she was not liable for the book’s claims.
Samantha Markle’s lawyers said it was “unfortunate” that the judge’s ruling was seen by many as the end of the legal action, known as “Markle vs Markle”.
Instead, they said the judge had allowed the legal team 14 days to amend their complaint.
Their statement adds: “This upcoming amendment will address certain legal issues that are related to our claims for defamation as it specifically relates to the Oprah interview on CBS.”
‘We vehemently oppose the narrative’
The statement, written by Samantha’s attorney, Jamie Sasson, says that “we vehemently oppose the narrative” the media reported claiming the duchess had won, adding how they “look forward to presenting an even stronger argument for the defamation and losses that our client has had to endure.”
The amended claims could also cite elements of the 2022 Netflix series that covered Meghan and Prince Harry’s relationship from early courtship to their decision to step back from the royal family and move to America.
In recent years, the falling out between the half-sisters has become a very public spat.
Samantha published a book, The Diary of Princess Pushy’s Sister Part 1, in 2021 in which she claimed her sister was treated like a princess her whole life, but never fully appreciated it.
Meghan’s estranged sister is from her father Thomas Markle’s first marriage.
