The Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle Wins Defamation Case As Judge Throws Out Sister's Lawsuit

Samantha Markle's defamation case against her sister, the Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle, has been dismissed.

Samantha sued the former actress for statements she made in her Netflix series with Prince Harry, her Oprah Winfrey interview, and many more instances.

Now, a judge has ruled that the statements were "substantially true," negating Samantha's earlier defamation claims.

According to a report, Meghan has emerged victorious from her legal spat with her half-sister, Samantha.

The sisters have been involved in a legal battle with each other over the last two years in relation to claims from Sanantha that Meghan had defamed her on several occasions. For the period it lasted, the case had gone through several motions from both parties to tip it in their favor before now reaching its climax.

Samantha had asked the court to award her $75,000 in her suit, but those hopes are now gone, as the presiding judge, Charlene Edwards Honeywell, has dismissed the case with prejudice.

Honeywell ruled that the Duchess's statements allegedly defaming Samantha were "substantially true based on judicially noticed evidence."

The judge also said that Samantha "failed to identify any statements that could support a claim for defamation or defamation-by-implication by this point, her third try at amending her complaint, in either the book Finding Freedom, the Netflix series Harry & Meghan, or Defendant and her husband's hour-long televised CBS Interview."

While giving her ruling, Honeywell analyzed the comments made by Meghan to explain why she ruled in favor of the Duchess.

On Meghan's comments about her childhood, Honeywell said that the former actress Meghan was just saying her side of things when she said she wasn't close to her half-sister Samantha.

She also shut down Samantha's claims that Meghan had implied that she was a "liar" and a "fame-seeker." In her ruling, she noted that this was an "improper mischaracterization" of Meghan's statement

In addition to the rest, Honeywell said it was "true" that Samantha swapped back to the Markle surname, just as Meghan said. Hence, it was not a defamatory statement based on the "exhibits in the record."

Honeywells wrote: "That Plaintiff used one last name and then the name Markle soon after reports of Defendant's relationship with Prince Harry were published is substantially true, based on the exhibits in the record, of which the Court has taken judicial notice."

Meghan's victory follows her recent comments that have made many believe she has scrapped plans to return to social media.

Speaking at a panel for the South by Southwest (SXSW) Festival, Meghan reflected on the trolling she received from many social media users while she was pregnant with her son Archie, whom she shares with Prince Harry.

"I keep my distance from [social media] right now just for my own well-being," Meghan told the audience during a chat titled Breaking Barriers, Shaping Narratives: How Women Lead On and Off the Screen.

She also highlighted the potentially "dizzying" impact of social media on new mothers, noting that it often presents motherhood as perfect, which contradicts the reality of its "messy" nature.

She then heaped praise on Harry for being an "incredible partner," "hands-on dad," and "supporter" of her and the family.

A day before the panel appearance, Meghan went on a dinner date with Prince Harry in Austin, Texas.

The duo reportedly had their meal at a corner table at Soho House Austin. The place seemingly holds a soft spot in the couple's heart, as the club's London outlet is where they had their first date in July 2016.

A source said about the duo's outing per People magazine, "[Meghan and Harry] were happy and in great spirits. Harry was very animated throughout the dinner. They were super low-key and seemed happy to be around the upbeat vibes at the lively venue."

During their time in the city, the couple also made a surprise visit to the family of Irma Garcia, a teacher who tragically lost her life in a school shooting in Texas in 2022. They posed for photos with the late victim's daughters and participated in celebrations for Irma's sister's birthday.

Following her appearance at the recently held SXSW conference in Austin, Texas, Megha and Harry were spotted indulging in brisket and sausages at La Barbecue. They were described as "absolutely lovely" while posing for pictures with both staff and fellow diners at the eatery.

After their departure, the restaurant's director of operations, Cory Rivademar, told People that Meghan's representatives sent them a text stating that it was the finest BBQ she and her husband had ever tasted.

Reflecting on their visit, Rivademar noted: "I thought they seemed happy and sweet, he's very lovely. She spoke about their kid loving the new Disney movie, 'Wish.'"

Rivademar added, "Very genuine and very loving. Happy couple. Nice to people who didn't even know what was going on."