Duchess Meghan’s lawyers filed a motion to dismiss her half-sister’s lawsuit

In March of this year, Samantha Grant (who goes by “Samantha Markle” in the media) filed a defamation lawsuit against her half-sister, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex. How did Meghan allegedly “defame” her half-sister? It was never very clear! Meghan spoke about being industrious and living on a budget throughout her childhood and in Meghan’s interview, she’s never even publicly mentioned her deranged sister. Still, Samantha believes that Meghan defamed her and hurt the sales of Samantha’s pathetic little book. Now Meghan’s lawyers have filed a motion to dismiss Samantha’s struggle lawsuit. Not only that, Meghan wants Samantha to pay for her legal fees. You can read the full document here.

Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, on Friday filed a motion to dismiss the defamation lawsuit brought against her by her half-sister Samantha Markle, describing the case as “without merit” and based on allegations that are “demonstrably false.” The duchess also asked a Florida federal court to order her half-sister to cover attorneys’ fees.

In the complaint filed March 3, Samantha Markle, 57, alleged that Meghan “published and disseminated false and malicious lies designed to destroy [her] reputation” and expose her to “humiliation, shame and hatred on a worldwide scale” in order to paint a false narrative of her childhood. Markle is suing the duchess for damages in excess of $75,000, claiming harm to her reputation as well as lost employment and lost income from the sale of her autobiography The Diary of Princess Pushy’s Sister.

“We feel confident that we’ll survive a motion to dismiss based on the allegations and the specific falsities that were made by [the duchess],” Markle’s attorney Jamie Sasson told BuzzFeed News Friday.

Although Samantha Markle claims that her half-sister made three defamatory statements during Meghan’s March 2021 blockbuster interview with Oprah Winfrey, the bulk of the case concerns information reported in a 2020 biography of Meghan and her husband Prince Harry titled Finding Freedom.

In the motion to dismiss filed Friday, Meghan’s lawyers denied all of Markle’s allegations — and stated that even if they were true, the duchess’s half-sister would still have no case. First, because the statements that Meghan made about Markle in her 2018 briefing email to Knauf were made outside of Florida’s two-year statute of limitations for defamation. Second, because Meghan didn’t write Finding Freedom. And finally, because Meghan’s statements about her half-sister in the email and in the Oprah interview are substantially true — and protected by the First Amendment. The filing included an itemized list of responses to all 17 of the statements that Markle claimed were defamatory.

The motion’s request that Markle be compelled to pay Meghan’s legal fees is based on a Florida law that prohibits lawsuits filed against individuals who are exercising their right to free speech in connection with public issues.

[From Buzzfeed News]

My guess is that Samantha believed Meghan would throw some money at her to shut up, and/or Samantha is such a deranged famewhore that she believed this lawsuit would get her more time on British TV shows. In either case, Meghan isn’t playing. It’s my hope that when all is said and done here, Meghan wipes the floor with Samantha, takes all of her money and exposes her for being the nasty piece of trash she is. Samantha is such a big part of the hate campaign online against Meghan as well.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid and WENN.

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78 Responses to “Duchess Meghan’s lawyers filed a motion to dismiss her half-sister’s lawsuit”

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  1. Snuffles says:

    I hope Meghan’s lawyers takes every penny Scammy earned while defaming and smearing her.

  2. Noki says:

    Good! I dont know much about lawsuits but that should be the punishment, anytime someone wastes your time and money on some frivolous suits they should pay for the legal fees. Also i cant believe how easy it is to just launch a lawsuit against someone and they are required to respond to the nonsense.

  3. MsIam says:

    Good. Make whoever is bankrolling Scamantha pay. This was done strictly to embarrass Meghan and try and grab some cash.

    • MeganC says:

      Exactly. We all know Samantha is flat broke.

    • Blithe says:

      With absolutely nothing to support it, I’ve wondered: What if Donald Trump and Piers Morgan teamed up together to push this lawsuit forward. Both would be people that SM might truly admire — for both their tacky prominence and their racially tinged hatreds. Both would have access to funding streams, including the BM, which would hope to profit from ongoing “news” about the suit and the un-marvelous Markles efforts to publicly goad Meghan and Harry.

      • Eurydice says:

        I don’t know about Piers Morgan, but Trump wouldn’t do it. That would mean being actively involved in something that’s not about him, and paying for something out of his own pocket, and staying quiet for more than 10 seconds.

      • Blithe says:

        All excellent points Eurydice!

    • DK says:

      I mean, when your defamation suit claims said defamation caused you to lose sales on a book whose *very title defames the person you’re suing for defamation*…that’s pathetic.

      The whole thing is definitely a sad cash grab.

  4. HeatherC says:

    This was brilliant. Especially the part about paying Meghan’s legal fees. Now, we all know that the half sis doesn’t have two nickels to rub together, but any future interviews she gives would be garnished.

    Her first lawyer pulled out and another one has taken over, this one is a MAGA Trump buddy which tracks with her now. On Gettr she’s retweeting death threats to politicians (apparently that’s allowed there) AND saying this lawsuit is fake news and isn’t happening.

    While it’s a whole lot of fun to watch a raging dumpster fire spiral down and get her karmic desserts, she honestly needs psych help.

    • kelleybelle says:

      Yet “truth wins,” right? What a joke for someone who lies every minute of every day.

    • HeatherC says:

      I mistyped. “AND saying this lawsuit is fake news and isn’t happening” should have been “AND saying this lawsuit *dismissal* is fake news and isn’t happening.” Sorry!

  5. C-Shell says:

    I’m fascinated by the lawyer shuffling going on in Scammy’s camp — the first lawyer(s) withdrawing due to irreconcilable differences, the new lawyers in common with Trump? Who’s paying for this? Do any threads connect to KP? We predicted this motion to dismiss, and I expect Meghan will win this handily, not least because of the Florida SLAPP statute — the defamation claims are completely without merit.

    • MsIam says:

      Well we know Trump only has the “best” lawyers so Scam is a perfect fit for them, right? I’m surprised the Kraken lady didn’t personally take Scamantha’s case, but then I don’t know if she still has her law license anymore.

    • Wiglet Watcher says:

      With the whole 6 degrees of separation I believe threads lead to trump. Even I have 1 degree of separation from trump.

      I’m guessing the lawyer is incompetent because Trump hired so many lawyers that were dumb ambulance chasers. Some seemed like they were one breath away from being disbarred or were In the process of it.

  6. Becks1 says:

    GOOD. I didn’t expect anything less from her lawyers though but still GOOD. This case should be dismissed.

  7. girl_ninja says:

    Not only that, Meghan wants Samantha to pay for her legal fees.

    I LOVE that! I hope that Samantha is forced to pay Meghan’s legal fees. Maybe then she’ll understand not to f*ck with Meghan again.

    • L84Tea says:

      Asking Sam to pay her legal fees is a brilliant move. These people need to stop f**king with Meghan already.

      • pottymouth pup says:

        Before we all expect justice to backhand sister Scammy, this will be heard by. a federal court in Florida and Trump has appointed judges that are likely to issue some pretty bad decisions

  8. Over it says:

    Every dog has his day, Sammy yours appears to be finally coming your way. I hope the British media that’s helping you out is prepared to go down with you.

  9. Amy Bee says:

    I find it interesting that the usual suspects in the British media have been silent about Meghan filing a motion to dismiss the lawsuit.

  10. Jay says:

    It seems like part of this is an attempt to relitigate the argument that Meghan “helped” to write Finding Freedom, right?

    Maybe someone wants Jason Knauf and his stolen texts and emails on the stand by any means necessary.

    • Snuff says:

      Excellent point. I’ll one up that – they want Meghan on the stand by any means necessary. They’re still pissed they never got their splashy trial in the UK.

      • L84Tea says:

        Yup. They want her on the stand under oath so they can ask her all of their ridiculous questions.

    • ChillinginDC says:

      I honestly don’t think so. Even the RR wouldn’t want to do this since all roads would lead back to him and in essence Prince William. I think Samantha is just obsessed with Meghan and has been on a lot of hate sites ranting about her and talking to people like Yankee Wally who told her to do this. I saw those hate accounts after the Daily Mail fail, telling Samantha and Scam Dad to sue Meghan for defamation from Finding Freedom. Those clowns still think that Meghan committed perjury.

      • equality says:

        PW didn’t seem concerned with Jason stepping forward, which leads directly back to KP.

      • ChillinginDC says:

        @equality that was different though. I still think that Jason got in trouble with the tabloids since he ran to them and claimed bullying, lying about Finding Freedom, etc. and they forced his hand to give them what they want. They in essence were going to have him testify until the judge was like none of the stuff he gave (which was incomplete) changes a thing and it doesn’t help you the way you think it does.

        I still say William was behind the leaks via Jason regarding Meghan and the tiara scandal, royal jewels scandal, and bullying.

        But Jason seems to harbor really hostile feelings towards Samantha and Thomas Markle. I don’t’ see him trying to get involved in a U.S. defamation lawsuit that he knows has even less merit than the Daily Mail. The Meghan hate accounts were the ones pushing for this and it was on twitter for days after the lawsuit that Samantha needed to sue so that Meghan would be forced to testify and be arrested for perjury. Didn’t say their thinking made any sense.

      • Wiglet Watcher says:

        Jason fell on his sword to prevent it all going to William. William could always claim ignorance.

      • ChillinginDC says:

        Yep. If somehow this whole thing turns into a case, Jason would come claim he did this without William or Kate knowing.

  11. Petra says:

    A big FAFO for Samantha. Anyone with a brain knew this would happen.The already financially bankrupted Samantha can now say she is bankrupted by this law suit . I’m looking forward to Samantha under oath answering questions about her income sources for the past 4 years. Heads up DM and OTHERS who had paid and still paying Samantha for lies and bullying for profit… I hope your lawyers are ready. It’s going to be a bumpy ride. Thank you Florida!

    • Lady Digby says:

      Half sibs and Porky Pig Bad dad ONLY remuneration comes from trashing M throughinterviews. Yes that’s right they make a handsome living from talking trash about a long estranged family member who has justifiable gone NC. If this unholy trio do arrive end mass for the Jubilee I would like them to be grilled on how many interviews they have given and roughly how much money they have made? It is just infuriating to not have ANY interviewer ask them why on earth they claim the right to comment on a long estranged family member for cash and then have the audacity to whine that they have been ghosted?

  12. Elizabeth Kerri Mahon says:

    I sincerely hope that this lawsuit is thrown out. If anyone should be suing for defamation, it should be Meghan suing her sister for all the garbage that she has said about her over the years.

    • BothSidesNow says:

      Yes, but Meghan is a class act. She doesn’t care about Scammy and her antics. It’s a waste of her time as well. She sees her father in the same light as well. Meghans life is moving on without them as nothing has changed for decades, obviously with Samantha. They are just a waste of time and thought for Meghan.

  13. ChillinginDC says:

    What a clown Samantha is. Everyone told her she had no case and yes it will probably get dismissed. She didn’t write Finding Freedom no matter how much the UK RR keeps saying that. Also how did that insane rumor even happen? Based on the emails that came out, she and Prince Harry didn’t even want to talk to Omid. How did this become some thing were they were secretly writing books???

    Also, I hope that Samantha gets hit in the pocket books and has fun paying that money. I noticed that Scam Dad never hopped on to try to sue Meghan cause at least he still has some brain cells.

    Speaking of Scam Dad, is he still going to get paraded during the Jubby and meet the Queen and Prince Charles so they can talk about how stupid Harry is and how ungrateful his daughter is? (Eyeroll).

    • BothSidesNow says:

      Yes, what happened about his plan to come to KP to meet the other side of his daughters family? I guess whomever in the RR group that was going to pay for his trips has changed their minds?

    • Gabby says:

      Also what happened to Tom’s lawsuit against Coleman-Rayner, his accomplices in the staged pap shots?

    • Charm says:

      The narrative that M “wrote” or at least “contributed to” the writing of FF was started by the RotaRats who have long been jealous of Scobie BUT, because he tries to adhere to the standards of the profession, even as an entertainment journalist, focusing on the brit royals and covered the Sussexes as failrly as he does the others, the RotaRats and, by extension, the goons trolls and other assorted royalists on SM took that narrative and ran with it.

  14. Andrew's_Nemesis says:

    What was in the briefing note to Knauf? How did Scamantha get hold of it?

    • Agreatreckoning says:

      If you read the ‘the full document here’ link Kaiser supplied it covers most of what was actually in the briefing email. The whole document is a good read because it shows how in Scammy’s suit wordage from the email was changed. Page 24 goes over the differences between the email and the FF book. She got ahold of it because it became public in Jason Knauf’s submission of “evidence” in Meghan’s suit against the MoS. The Fail (MoS’s sibling publication) then started publishing certain parts of the email. Tom Wells, a Sun reporter (I believe), then posted the email in it’s entirety? on twitter. (someone else or BM rat may have first)

      Jason/KP knew the emails/texts would get out. A deep dive into Samantha’s financials would be excellent.

      The head of the law firm that is now representing SM wrote a book about Trump and has been his friend for a very long time. blech

      SM’s suit is based on inaccurate/false information and claims of Meghan “publishing” things that defamed her. Meghan hadn’t published any of it.

      Samantha has defamed herself that last 5 years

  15. MrsH says:

    The fact that she is claiming that Meghan’s alleged defamation hurt the sales of her book about Meghan, which is titled Diary of Princess Pushy’s Sister is just laughable.

    • etso says:

      Right!?
      And 75,000 isn’t much – even she knew her pamphlet wouldn’t sell well.

  16. Sofia says:

    God I hope this does get dismissed and Samantha *does* have to pay up. Meghan hasn’t even mentioned this woman once (the only time I can think of is that letter to Thomas where she said “your other daughter”) yet she’s suing Meghan for defamation.

    • Harla says:

      Meghan did mention her in the Oprah interview clip, that was aired the day after the interview aired.

      • nina says:

        All Meghan said about her was that they did not grow up together and that Meghan was an only child. Her mom left her dad when Meghan was 3 years old and had primary custody. How is that defamatory.
        There is a 17 year difference between them. Age gap that big, you not hanging out together not even as full blood siblings.

      • ChillinginDC says:

        Yeah it wasn’t defamatory though. They did not grow up together. Even Samantha’s terrible ass book confirms that. And Meghan saying she was raised as an early child is true, her mother raised her and she was occasionally lived with her dad and her older siblings were not there, until Samantha moved back in and acted like a pyscho.

        I mean Samantha was trying to sue on behalf of her dad for statements made and they have nothing to do with her.

  17. BuzzKell says:

    Ugh. Lunatic Fringe! I love statutes for these people, not so much for victims of sex and child abuse because we know that it takes so long to process the abuse and you go through a lot to get to a fighting position. Anybody who makes false claims and is found out in a court of law any where around the world should be ordered to pay for all the lies. Scammy McHammy will burn in her own deceit. I have my own scammy and lies and the deceit because people don’t want to work and want a payday is disgusting. Lunatic Fringe, we all know you’re out there!!!!

  18. Over it says:

    My question has absolutely nothing to do with this post but I was wondering if anyone can explain the following to me. I saw on the board at Harry polo match that he goes by the name Harry wales. I assumed once he got his dukedom that his last name would become Sussex. Can anyone explain to me how this all works? Like let’s say he fills out his passport form, what’s his last name on it?

    • Sofia says:

      That’s how it can be but that’s not always the case. Most aristos/royals do use their titles as their surnames but the royals are pretty “pick and choose” which surname they want sometimes. I believe William used “Mountbatten-Windsor” as his surname when he sued for Kate’s topless pics despite him being “Duke of Cambridge” by that time.

      • Over it says:

        Thanks Sofia, I really appreciate this.

      • Becks1 says:

        Harry might also go by Wales bc that’s what he went by for most of his life, especially in the military, so it might feel more natural for him to be Harry Wales in this kind of setting rather than Harry Sussex or Harry Mountbatten-Windsor.

    • molly says:

      In previous generations, royals only existed in royal circles and had no need for last names. As things have modernized, and young royals did more regular things with regular people, there’s a need and desire for a regular last name.

      Both Harry and William publicly used “Wales” in place of a last name when they were in the military. (It’s much easier to fit in as “Captain Wales” instead of “Captain Prince Henry of Wales.) It’s obviously not their actual last names, they technically don’t have one, but they both sought the conformity of having a surname on a chest patch like everyone else.

      Similarly, George, Charlotte, and Louis apparently go by “Cambridge” as their last name in school. Technically not correct either, but I very much understand why Will and Kate wanted the normalcy among his peers of George Cambridge from the beginning.

      • Sofia says:

        Royals, if they don’t have a title of their own such as Dukedom/Earldom etc etc, use their father’s highest title (because titles are conferred to the males most of the time). Hence why the York girls used “York” as their surname and why W&H used “Wales” – because Prince of Wales is their father’s highest title.

        So the Cambridge kids using Cambridge makes sense as “Duke of Cambridge” is William’s highest title. They could transition to using Cornwall and then Wales when the time comes or they can stick to Cambridge because like I said, royals tend to pick and choose what surname they use.

  19. Annalise says:

    The funniest part is Scamantha complaining that Meghan exposed her to hatred, humiliation, and shame on a worldwide scale.
    Like that’s not EXACTLY what she did to Meghan.

    • kelleybelle says:

      Exactly. Scam has been slandering Meghan daily for years now. It’s too ludicrous for words. Sam NEVER had a good reputation, ever, nor any credibility. “She was all class and so polite, everything Samantha wanted to be.” — Scott Rasmussen upon meeting Meghan.

    • ChillinginDC says:

      She should be more angry that the Buzzfeed article where Yankee Wally fed her to the wolves.

  20. Merricat says:

    Lol if there is British money behind this mess. The enemy of your enemy is not your friend if they happen to be loose cannons too stupid to know when to shut up.

  21. aquarius64 says:

    Read the 27 page motion. Well written, goes after every ridiculous claim Scam made, supporting the arguments with various court rulings. The BM is silent because this lawsuit will expose them. Jason figures in heavily in the motion; W and K are name checked as Knauf’s bosses (as well as H and M). They can’t control the US media either.

    Scam is Trump supporter and has tweeted Trump won in 2020. This may be pro bono. But if it comes out Scam supports the 1/6 attack on the US Capitol it’s over for her.

    • ChillinginDC says:

      Her twitter account (before it got banned) was pro January 6th insurrection. She’s nuts. I think that’s why the prior attorney just left because she’s 1) unhinged 2) and lying about tons of things.

      • kelleybelle says:

        How about lying about EVERYthing, as per usual?

      • jazzbaby1 says:

        Huh. So an American citizen who may have been on the payroll of or received gifts from a foreign government — no matter what the reason — was supportive of an insurrection attempt in this country? If the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge set foot on American soil for Earthshot nonsense some enterprising reporter needs to ask them about that.

      • ChillinginDC says:

        Yeah cbouzy had screenshots from her multiple accounts and it was super crazy. I still think that Samantha was getting bankrolled from people like Dan Wooton. I don’t think Piers likes her that much. He has tended to stick with Thomas Markle. I do still think Thomas Markle was getting paid by members of the RR to stir up trouble and I think Jason was behind some of this which leads back to William. But I honestly think that Samantha tried to muscle in on her dad’s pay day. He has gotten testy with her a few times about how she needs to be quiet.

  22. Che Che says:

    I suspect some media org is funding this lawsuit for clicks and engagement. Scammy doesn’t have the pocket change for this type of legal rep. She needs to stay in the news for people to even remember they share a sperm donor

  23. Vanessa says:

    I wonder if Meghan can sue Samantha for defamation of her character Samantha has spent the past five years spreading lies about Meghan. Samantha has been helping trolls and some of Meghan biggest hater spread False information about Meghan Samantha is the cause of all those Archie is doll not real Meghan can’t have kids rumors .

    • Jaded says:

      Meghan could certainly sue Scammy for slander and defamation. The likely outcome would be a restraining order or injunction taken out on her and, because she’s broke, a fine of $1.00 could be levied, sort of like what Taylor Swift did with her sexual assault case. What’s more important is clearing her name and bringing unwanted publicity to Scammy’s outright lies and subterfuge.

      • aquarius64 says:

        Or the judge could order s lien on Sam’s house and bank accounts in order to pay Meghan. Meghan’s lawyers are not asking for the 1.00 token fee. Trump’s lawyers may do the same.

      • Jaded says:

        @aquarius64 – absolutely possible. But I can’t see Meghan going after money with her sister because she doesn’t need it, she just wants Scammy to pay her legal costs. And although she’s not putting up with any more of her litigious bullsh*t, I don’t think she wants to impoverish her, just teach her a lesson which is clearly FAFO.

      • kelleybelle says:

        @aquarius64 … Sam lives in a small rented trailer. There’s no house anywhere. I don’t even know how she affords to many phones.

  24. AJ says:

    I firmly believe that the daily fail pays her and her father to do these types of things. They need the money

  25. MikeB says:

    Behind every attack against Meghan lurks a UK tabloid or “expert”

  26. aquarius64 says:

    Here’s another thought: what if this lawsuit was set up to take the Markles down? They became liabilities when Bad Dad spilled tea on Aussie TV about helping to stop the wedding. If this mess gives forward Scam’s dirty laundry is fair game: troll accounts,5 years of hit pieces, SY fixated person list to start. Meghan’s lawyers used Samantha’s 2nd divorce about the name change in the motion. Scam will have to prove the BM was in on the smear campaign, but the RRs will claim they took the Markles’ word for everything. They’ll look incompetent for not vetting the Markles but it’s the lesser of two evils.

  27. Beverley says:

    My money’s on Samantha being poorly advised and enabled by the RRs to continue on, especially if her lawsuit is dismissed. She’s one of their paid tools. Here’s hoping that Meghan is granted her request to saddle Samantha with the legal fees.

    What a 🤡

  28. JFerber says:

    aquarius64, how can it be over for Scam if she supported the 1/6/20 insurrection if it’s not over for the author of that insurrection, who may very well be his party’s candidate in 2024?

    • aquarius64 says:

      Sam, like Sr and Jr, are useful idiots for unscrupulous people in power. They think they’re the smartest ones I in the room and equal partners to the people who are the masterminds; when in truth they are minions to be thrown under the bus when the heat’s on. Seven hundred plus people have been charged for attacking the Capitol. Some actually thought Trump would pardon them or get them out from under these charges. Trump left his acolytes to rot in jail. These people’s lawyers argued Trump egged them on but the judges and juries didn’t buy it. You’re responsible for your actions. So other defendants have made plea deals and are cooperating with the Feds. The same fate awaits the Markles. The distancing has begun. Brit and Aussie media have not bothered with her since she went on Brit TV saying the Sussex kids are fake. And who is following up with Bad Dad’s announcement that he is crashing the Jubilee with Jr.? The media wants to be far from the fallout. Side note: the judge could sanction Scam and her lawyer for filing a frivolous lawsuit, up to 25,000 USD. And Meghan’s attorney fees (they ain’t cheap) it could wipe Samantha out.

  29. serena says:

    “..Expose her to “humiliation, shame and hatred on a worldwide scale”.. she did that on her own by showing her lying nasty behind to everyone.

    Now, I really hope they’ll make this fool pay Meghan’s lawyers fees LMAO.