Meghan Markle Caught in Legal Drama with Half-Sister — and It Could Hurt Harry’s Royal Reconciliation
Meghan Markle has once again been dragged through the mud by her estranged half-sister, Samantha Markle. Back in 2022, Samantha sued the Duchess of Sussex for defamation, but the case was dismissed with prejudice in 2024, preventing any further claims. However, Samantha has recently appealed the dismissal, stirring up fresh discord for Markle. Commenting on the situation, royal expert Ian Pelham Turner warned that Markle’s ongoing feud with her half-sister could seriously hinder Prince Harry’s efforts to reconcile with his family.
Samantha sued her sister for allegedly defaming her in various interviews, including Markle and Harry's 2021 Oprah interview. Turner told Fox News that more legal disputes between Markle and Samantha could break the fragile links between the Sussexes, trying to establish a way forward. He said, "The royals are hyper-sensitive toward any legal issues in America, resulting in any more secrets coming out to the detriment of the royals in the U.K." The expert added, "This could be misconstrued as a timely action by Samantha Markle as she sees her half-sister on the ropes regarding Netflix and a glimmer of hope to be reconnected with the royal family."
Royal expert Hilary Fordwich also echoed Turner's claims and opined, "Her reputation is tarnished further by her own sister making such allegations. Whether true or not, it doesn’t matter, as neither way does it reflects well." Meanwhile, Jonna Spilbor, a criminal defense and family law attorney, explained the legalities behind Samantha's appeal, saying, "It appears Samantha’s team received some relief from the appellate court, which has set a hearing to allow Samantha to attempt to convince the court that the case should be revived." He added, "So, the reason Meghan is being dragged back to court on a case that was given a death sentence at the trial court level is that the appeals court is performing CPR."
In a statement to the publication, Samantha’s lawyer, Peter Ticktin, confirmed the news of her reappeal and said, "The District Court judge, an Obama appointee, dismissed the lawsuit brought by Samantha Markle against her sister Meghan Markle, finding that there was no case. This decision was wrong, and now, we are tasked with convincing a three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals of how our case was solid." According to the BBC, Samantha initially sued Markle over her comments in the Oprah interview, where she claimed she was the 'only child' and underplayed their close bond. Samantha also took issue with Markle’s comment, wherein the Duchess claimed that her half-sister had changed her surname back to Markle when she began dating Harry.
A spokesperson for the Duchess of Sussex declined to comment on the recent developments in the court case. Meanwhile, Harry is allegedly trying his best to reconcile with his estranged family amid reports of 'peace talks' between his aides and those of King Charles. It is reported that the Duke has also offered to share his official calendar of events with the royal family in a new attempt to avoid upstaging them at major events.