The Duchess of Sussex is relieved after winning a major victory in a court battle against her estranged sister Samantha Markle who accused her of defamation.
- Mar 12, 2024
AceShowbiz - In a significant legal victory, Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, has had a defamation lawsuit brought by her half-sister, Samantha Markle, dismissed with prejudice. This means that Samantha cannot file the same claim again.
The lawsuit stemmed from statements Meghan made in a 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey and the Netflix docuseries "Harry & Meghan". Samantha alleged that these statements, including claims about their estrangement and Meghan Markle's upbringing as an only child, were defamatory.
However, in a ruling issued on March 12, US District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell found that Samantha failed to provide any evidence of defamatory statements made by Meghan. The judge stated that the statements were either opinions, substantially true, or not capable of being considered defamatory.
Specifically, the judge noted that Meghan Markle's statements about her childhood and relationship with her half-sisters were "quintessential examples of opinion" that cannot be verified and therefore cannot form the basis of a defamation action.
This is the third time that Samantha has attempted to sue Meghan for defamation. In previous cases, the lawsuits were dismissed for similar reasons. The court found that the statements made by Meghan were protected opinions or not objectively defamatory.
Meghan's lawyer, Michael J. Kump, expressed satisfaction with the court's ruling, stating that they were "pleased with the Court's ruling dismissing the case."
Samantha's legal representatives have indicated that they will appeal the decision to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. However, it remains uncertain whether they will be successful in their appeal.
