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

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”.

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.