Samantha and Meghan launched the lawsuit, alleging that Meghan made false and malicious statements about Samantha during her 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey. In the interview, Meghan mentioned that Samantha had changed her surname back to "Markle" after Meghan's relationship with Prince Harry garnered media attention. Meghan also stated that she had little relationship with her half-siblings, including Samantha, who share the same father, and that they hadn't spoken in years.
This was Samantha's third attempt to sue Meghan for defamation. However, a US judge dismissed the case with prejudice after Meghan filed for dismissal, which means Samantha will not be able to refile it. In a 58-page decision, Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell stated that Samantha, as the plaintiff, had failed to identify any statements that could support a claim for defamation or defamation by implication. The judge further noted that Meghan's statements could not be considered defamatory as they were either substantially true based on judicially noticed evidence or not capable of being deemed defamatory.
Following the court's ruling, Meghan's lawyer, Michael J. Comp, expressed satisfaction with the decision to dismiss the case. The dismissal was made with prejudice, meaning Samantha cannot pursue the lawsuit again. The judge's ruling has spared Meghan from an anticipated trial that was scheduled to take place in November.
It is important to note that the claim of Meghan bribing the judge with $95,000 remains an unverified allegation from an unnamed insider source. Defamation cases are notoriously challenging to prove, and while Samantha sought a substantial amount for damages, the judge's decision affirms the dismissal of the lawsuit. The article also includes speculative and subjective commentary on the Markle family, their relationships, and their careers, which should be seen as personal opinions rather than established facts.
