Meghan Markle has successfully had her half-sister's defamation lawsuit dismissed. It comes after a judge ruled in Meghan's favour.
Meghan had been accused of spreading "malicious lies" about Samantha Markle during her 2021 Oprah Winfrey interview - and again in 2020 with statements to journalists. Meghan has now had the lawsuit dismissed as a Florida judge said her statements were pure opinion and "not capable of being proved false".
Judge Charlene Honeywell did offer Samantha the opportunity to refile her claim, adding she could "replead" for damages on injurious falsehood over a CBS TV interview Meghan gave. Samantha sued her half-sister after alleging Meghan defamed and embarrassed her by telling Oprah she was raised as an "only child", reports the Daily Record.
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The Mirror reports that the 58-year-old also sued over comments made about her in Finding Freedom, a book Meghan and her husband Prince Harry advised and informed but did not write. Samantha claimed the comments subjected her to "humiliation, shame and hatred on a worldwide scale" and tried to secure more than £60,000 in damages.
The judge ruled Meghan could not be held responsible for the book Finding Freedom as she did not publish it. Meghan previously filed a motion to stop depositions in the case from taking place, but this was dismissed by the Florida judge.
"Defendant Markle does not show that unusual circumstances justify the requested stay, or that prejudice or an undue burden will result if the court does not impose a stay," the documents stated. "Defendant Markle does not satisfy the high standard required to stay discovery pending the resolution of a dispositive motion."
In their joint interview with US talk show host Oprah in March 2021, Harry and Meghan spoke about both their families and made a series of allegations about the royal family. Samantha's original complaint stated the comments made by the Sussexes during the interview had reached "roughly 50 million people in 17 countries".
"Plaintiff - who suffers from multiple sclerosis and is confined to a wheelchair - brings this action for defamation based on demonstrably false and malicious statements made by her half-sister to a worldwide audience, including roughly 50 million people in 17 countries who watched the Oprah Winfrey interview with the defendant, Meghan Markle, and her husband, Prince Harry of England," the filing stated.
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