Meghan Markle may have just celebrated her 43rd birthday, but the festivities have been somewhat dampened after her family takes aim.
Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, has felt the wrath of public outrage no end since she met Prince Harry. The couple tied the knot in May 2018, moved to California in June 2020, and since then they’ve been vocal about the trials and tribulations of being part of the British royal family.
They were interviewed by Oprah Winfrey and more recently CBS News Sunday Morning, discussing the issues they’ve faced due to ties with the royals. The rift between Meghan and her own family has been well documented, with a recent update casting its shadow over Meghan’s big day…
Meghan’s half-sister Samantha is appealing against a court ruling that rejected claims Meghan portrayed her as a “lying, racist, fame-seeker,” The Sun reports.
Samantha’s latest legal action saw an appeal filed just two days ahead of Meghan’s birthday, which was on Sunday, August 4th.
The publication obtained court documents that shed light on the accusations made against Meghan. “Meghan knew what she was doing, and how to do it,” is written among the claims. “She destroyed Samantha publicly and on a global scale… She has made it so Samantha cannot work, or even enjoy the most mundane of activities, like going to the grocery store without harassment.”
For those feeling out of the loop, the beef between the two simmered over when Samantha came across comments made in both the infamous 2021 Oprah interview and the TV show Harry & Meghan a year later.
Samantha is appealing after Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell ruled she was unable to provide evidence to prove defamation. The verdict was reached earlier in March.
Although the $76,000 lawsuit was dropped, Samantha’s lawyers are now resisting under the argument that Honeywell has failed to take crucial factors into account.
Court documents claim Samantha was made out as somebody “out to harm Meghan and to capitalize on that harm caused.”
Who is harassing Samantha Markle in public? I mean come on. Who could be bothered? pic.twitter.com/HhV0CKLDJO
— Benjamin Eley Cannell Parody (Fake/Parody) (@benjic_parody) August 6, 2024
Meghan Markle claims she ‘grew up as an only child’
When Meghan sat down with Oprah, she was encouraged to address her thoughts on Samantha writing a book called The Diary Of Princess Pushy’s Sister.
On the subject of family, Meghan claimed she “grew up as an only child” but “wished” to have brothers or sisters, comments which have enraged Samantha to hear. “The last time I saw her must have been at least 18, 19 years ago and before that, 10 years before that,” Meghan said about her half-sister.
“She changed her last name back to Markle,” she acknowledged, “and I think she’s [in her] early fifties at that time, only when I started dating Harry. And so I think that’s says enough.”
As for the appeal, The Sun adds Samantha’s lawyers want an oral hearing. “Oral argument is desired as the issues may require some clarification,” they said, but a date is yet to be reached.