News | Entertainment
13 Nov 2025 8:14
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
     12 Nov: Four key takeaways from the Eddie Murphy documentary Being Eddie
     11 Nov: Hilary Duff insists Disney weren't "willing" to embrace Lizzie McGuire in her 30s
     11 Nov: Kelsey Grammer says his family are "ecstatic" about his new baby boy
     11 Nov: Millie Bobby Brown won't be revealing her daughter's name to the world
     11 Nov: Sam Smith had liposuction at 13 after being mercilessly "teased" about their weight
     11 Nov: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex is returning to acting for the first time in almost a decade
     11 Nov: Aimee Lou Wood has described Los Angeles as "emotionally bulimic"
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    International hockey is inbound for Dunedin this summer More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    One of the final slices of real estate in Christchurch's Cathedral Square is on the market More...



     Today's News

    Environment:
    Fireworks have caused a 200 by 200 square metre fire on Southland's Oreti Beach 8:07

    Business:
    One of the final slices of real estate in Christchurch's Cathedral Square is on the market 7:57

    Law and Order:
    Epstein alleged in private emails that Trump knew of his conduct, newly-released documents appear to show 7:47

    Rugby League:
    Victor Radley will serve half of his 10 NRL league game ban for the Roosters in the competition proper, because the club have decided to count the tests between Australia and England and two pre-season matches as part of his punishment 7:47

    Law and Order:
    Police have apologised to the woman at the centre of the Jevon McSkimming scandal - but are still prosecuting her 7:37

    International:
    Donald Trump writes to Israel's president requesting pardon of Benjamin Netanyahu from corruption charges 7:27

    Auckland:
    A driver has died after crashing into a tree near Wellsford north of Auckland just after 1.30 this morning 7:27

    Business:
    Visitors to Aoraki Mt Cook will face daily parking rates of 25 dollars under a new pricing plan 7:17

    Law and Order:
    Compensation's potentially on the cards should Jevon McSkimming's alleged sexual assault victim, take legal action 7:07

    Law and Order:
    Police aren't ruling out further action - after arresting a man in connection to a building fire in Palmerston North late last month 4:37


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2025 New Zealand City Ltd