A Florida judge has ruled in favor of Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, by dismissing a defamation lawsuit brought by her half-sister, Samantha Markle, that challenged statements made during an Oprah Winfrey interview and in the Netflix series ‘Harry and Meghan.’
A Florida judge has dismissed the defamation lawsuit brought against Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, by her half-sister, Samantha Markle. The legal action was based on comments made by Meghan during an interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021 and on the Netflix series “Harry and Meghan.” Samantha Markle had claimed that Meghan’s statements in these appearances were false and defamatory, particularly concerning their family relationship and Meghan’s remarks about being an only child.
However, the judge found that the plaintiff, Samantha Markle, failed to identify any statements that constituted defamation. The court’s ruling indicated that Meghan’s statements were either opinions, substantially true, or not defamatory in nature. Notably, Meghan Markle has not had contact with her half-sister for several years, which was acknowledged during the case.
The lawsuit, filed in March 2022, also involved claims related to the contents of the unauthorized biography “Finding Freedom,” although the judge ruled that Meghan could not be held liable for the book since she did not publish it. The dismissal of the case represents a legal victory for Meghan Markle amidst ongoing family disputes that have captured public and media attention.
Following the court ruling, Meghan Markle’s attorney expressed satisfaction with the decision. Meghan herself, while speaking at the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Texas on International Women’s Day, did not comment specifically on the lawsuit but spoke out against the toxicity of social media and emphasized the importance of women supporting each other.
