Meghan Markle is bracing for a challenging day as her half-sister, Samantha Markle, makes a final attempt to resurrect her defamation lawsuit in Jacksonville, Florida, at 9 a.m. local time. The case, originally filed in 2022, stems from comments made during Meghan’s 2021 Oprah Winfrey interview and the Sussexes’ Netflix docuseries, *Harry & Meghan*. Samantha’s claim was dismissed in March 2024, but a successful appeal could force Meghan into a trial and potential damages. If Samantha loses, her three-year legal battle against Meghan will end, as no higher court is available.
Though Meghan is not expected to attend, Samantha’s attorney, Peter Ticktin, insisted the Duchess must be held “accountable for harming the people she harms,” including her sister. He added, “If I were to give advice to Meghan, it would be to wake up and smell the coffee. She’s not coming across the way she wants to the American public.”
In 2022, Meghan’s lawyer, Michael J. Kump, dismissed the case as deserving “the minimum attention necessary.” Samantha’s legal team argued that remarks in the Netflix series, combined with an interviewee’s comments, unfairly painted Samantha as part of a hate campaign against Meghan. In the Oprah interview, Meghan described growing up “as an only child,” noting that Samantha and Thomas Markle Jr. had already left their father’s home, which Samantha’s team claims misrepresents her.
Samantha’s lawyers further alleged the docuseries implied she orchestrated online trolling against Meghan, a characterization they call unfair. Meghan’s legal team countered that any suggestion of Samantha’s involvement in a hate group is an opinion protected by the First Amendment.
