Meghan Markle wins bid to have half-sister Samantha’s ‘defamation’ lawsuit dismissed by judge

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NADI, FIJI - OCTOBER 25: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend the Unveiling of the Labalaba Statue Meghan, Duchess of Sussex looking straight to camera on October 25, 2018 in Nadi, Fiji. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are on their official 16-day Autumn tour visiting cities in Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

MEGHAN Markle has won the bid to have her half-sister’s defamation lawsuit dismissed by a judge.

The Duchess’ US-based sister Samantha Markle revealed in 2021 that she was suing her sibling for “defamation and injurious falsehoods”.

Meghan Markle has won a big to have her half-sister’s ‘defamation’ lawsuit thrown out of court

Samantha Markle was suing her sister for ‘defamation and injurious falsehoods’

In January it was revealed Meghan and Prince Harry could be dragged into a Florida court over the matter.

However, a judge has now ruled in the Duchess’ favour – dismissing Samantha’s claims.

Meghan’s sister alleged the Duchess “falsely and maliciously” said that she was “an only child” during her and Prince Harry’s bombshell 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Her claim stated that Meghan made “demonstrably false and malicious statements” to an audience of “roughly 50 million people in 17 countries”.

The claim added that the Duchess “disseminated false and malicious lies” and “orchestrated the campaign to defame and destroy her sister’s and her father’s reputation”

This was allegedly done to subject Samantha to “humiliation, shame and hatred on a worldwide scale” and “promote the false ‘rags-to-royalty’ narrative” of the controversial couple.

Samantha also claimed that the book Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family included “false statements” about her.

However, the judge did not rule in favour of Samantha, who suffers from multiple sclerosis and uses a wheelchair.

United States District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell said the claims around Finding Freedom were dismissed as Samantha could not prove that Meghan had a say in what went into the book.

Ms Honeywell also dismissed the claims regarding Meghan’s Oprah interview, but said Samantha had “one final opportunity” to amend her complaint.

The sister has 14 days to do so.

The sisters share the same father, Thomas Markle