News | Entertainment
18 Oct 2025 20:42
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
     18 Oct: Ace Frehley has died aged 74
     18 Oct: Olivia Culpo has suffered a "little bit of an identity crisis" since giving birth
     18 Oct: Sam Fender has won the 2025 Mercury Prize
     18 Oct: Jennifer Aniston is "much gentler" on her body nowadays
     18 Oct: Jacob Elordi experienced "moments of great anguish" amid shooting Frankenstein
     18 Oct: Ben Stiller believes lockdown helped to save his marriage
     18 Oct: Danielle Fishel has always been "very hard on [herself]"
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    Canterbury hooker George Bell's outlined what he claims will be critical to containing Hawke's Bay as they bid for a first NPC final berth since 20-22 More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    The rising cost of food is also affecting chocolate with popular Kiwi brand Whittaker's increasing its prices More...



     Today's News

    Entertainment:
    Ace Frehley has died aged 74 20:17

    International:
    Prince Andrew giving up his royal titles and honours after speaking with King Charles 19:56

    Entertainment:
    Olivia Culpo has suffered a "little bit of an identity crisis" since giving birth 19:47

    Entertainment:
    Sam Fender has won the 2025 Mercury Prize 19:17

    Motoring:
    A crash in Northland has closed Matai Bay Road near Carrington Estate on the Karikari Peninsula 18:56

    Entertainment:
    Jennifer Aniston is "much gentler" on her body nowadays 18:47

    Soccer:
    Auckland FC attacker Logan Rogerson is expecting their new English target-man to succeed ahead of tonight's A-League football season opener away at Melbourne Victory 18:36

    Soccer:
    Coach Giancarlo Italiano has realistic expectations for the Wellington Phoenix ahead of tonight's A-League men's football season-opener away in Perth 18:26

    Entertainment:
    Jacob Elordi experienced "moments of great anguish" amid shooting Frankenstein 18:17

    International:
    Who is Prince Andrew? Why is he giving up his royal title? 18:16


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2025 New Zealand City Ltd