News | Entertainment
24 Nov 2025 19:03
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, has again asked for a lawsuit brought against her by her half-sister be dismissed

    The 40-year-old royal is being sued for defamation by 57-year-old Samantha Markle, who has claimed the former 'Suits' actress made "false and malicious statements" about her in her bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey last year, and she has branded the lawsuit "meritless"


    Meghan - who has children Archie, three, and Lili, 12 months, with husband Prince Harry - originally filed to have the case dismissed on 17 June but the judge denied the duchess' request four days later because Samantha had filed an amended complaint.

    As a result, on Monday (27.06.22), the former 'Suits' actress filed a new motion for dismissal, arguing against the claims made in the author's "meritless defamation case" and insisting Samantha had deleted numerous specific factual allegations and exhibits from her original complaint," claiming that the facts would "completely undermine" her estranged half-sibling's case.

    Documents obtained by Us Weekly magazine added: "Most obviously, her original complaint attached a 2018 email from Meghan to the then-Communications Secretary of Kensington Palace, Jason Knauf, that Plaintiff alleged was the basis for the allegedly defamatory statements in 'Finding Freedom'.

    "However, the email on its face disproved Plaintiff's claim that Meghan was somehow responsible for the authors' allegedly defamatory statements in 'Finding Freedom'.

    "Indeed, in her desperation to save her case, Plaintiff quite literally fabricated one of the statements, as evidenced by the missing interview transcript."

    Samantha had previously claimed Meghan was not honest about her past relationships with her family when she told Oprah Winfrey she had never been close to her half-sister or half-brother Thomas Markle Jr. when she was growing up.

    The duchess said at the time: "I grew up as an only child, which everyone who grew up around me knows, and I wished I had siblings. I would have loved to have had siblings.

    "[She] changed her last name back to Markle in her early 50s ... only when I started dating Harry. So, I think that says enough."

    Samantha insisted Meghan had lied so she and her father, Thomas Markle "could not interfere with or contradict the false narrative and fairytale life story [she] concocted."

    But Meghan doesn't feel the nature of their familial relationships should form the basis of a lawsuit.

    Her documents stated: "We do not empanel juries to rule on whether two people are 'close,' or whether one genuinely feels that they 'grew up as an only child.

    "Courts are not equipped to adjudicate the legitimacy of a person's feelings about their childhood and relationships. Nor should they be. ... This dispute has no place in this Court or any other."

    Meghan also requested to be awarded her attorney's fees.

    © 2025 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     24 Nov: Tom Daley is teaming up with Ben Sherman for a range of hats and scarves
     24 Nov: Sir Brian May's stroke was a "wake-up call"
     24 Nov: Cynthia Erivo noted she and Ariana Grande have had to "come through some stuff" in their lives and work
     24 Nov: Timothée Chalamet believes Adam Sandler is one of the greatest actors of all time
     24 Nov: Pierce Brosnan would love to return to the James Bond franchise - admitting it will be "exciting to see what happens"
     23 Nov: Tori Kelly has given birth to her first child
     23 Nov: Jeremy Renner's lawyer has insisted he and Yi Zhou have not resolved their conflict
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    Confidence that Christchurch can deliver sellout Rugby League crowds More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    Criticism of Air New Zealand's reliability - with strike action looming on December 8 More...



     Today's News

    Politics:
    New rules aimed at protecting homeowners should be formally introduced next year 18:57

    Entertainment:
    Tom Daley is teaming up with Ben Sherman for a range of hats and scarves 18:38

    Accident and Emergency:
    A person's been seriously injured at work - in Opotiki in eastern Bay of Plenty 18:37

    Politics:
    Former British PM David Cameron says he has been treated for prostate cancer 18:17

    Entertainment:
    Sir Brian May's stroke was a "wake-up call" 18:08

    Cricket:
    Black Caps coach Rob Walter has shrugged off wicketkeeper concerns in his test side 18:07

    Entertainment:
    Cynthia Erivo noted she and Ariana Grande have had to "come through some stuff" in their lives and work 17:38

    Business:
    Criticism of Air New Zealand's reliability - with strike action looming on December 8 17:27

    Entertainment:
    Timothée Chalamet believes Adam Sandler is one of the greatest actors of all time 17:08

    Rugby League:
    Auckland FC wants your babies 16:57


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2025 New Zealand City Ltd