Meghan Markle‘s legal team went to court Wednesday, gunning to convince a judge to toss a defamation lawsuit filed by her sister Samantha, and the arguments left the judge scratching her head but leaning in Meghan’s favor.
Samantha Markle claimed Meghan was peddling lies about her in both the Oprah interview and a 2020 bio, “Finding Freedom.” Specifically, Samantha claims her half-sis lied when she allegedly said she was an only child, causing her humiliation and shame. Meghan’s lawyers fired back … their client never said she was an only child. She told Oprah she grew up as an only child.
Samantha claimed Meghan lied about her upbringing, and when she got caught in lies, she turned Samantha into a sacrificial lamb and attacked her to cover up her own alleged misdeeds.
MARCH 2021
CBS
As for the alleged lies … Samantha points to what she says is Meghan’s rags-to-riches narrative, growing up in poverty when she had a middle-class background. She says their dad, Thomas, paid for all sorts of things for Meghan, including elite private schools, tuition at Northwestern as well as dance and acting classes.
MM’s lawyers asked the judge to boot the case, calling the claims “offensive” and “inappropriate.” Her lawyers say Meghan merely stated her impressions about her life growing up.
Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell said she was “struggling” to see how Meghan’s statements were defamatory. The judge took the case under advisement.
Samantha is seeking at least $75K in damages.