Meghan Markle set for courtroom drama with sister Samantha just days after birthday

Meghan Markle is gearing up for a potential courtroom clash with her estranged half-sister, Samantha Markle, just a week after celebrating her 44th birthday.

A US judge has scheduled Samantha’s bid to revive her libel lawsuit for the week starting August 11, 2025, in Atlanta, Georgia—just seven days after Meghan’s birthday on August 4.

Samantha, 60, filed the lawsuit back in 2022, claiming she was defamed by Meghan’s comments during her headline-making Oprah Winfrey interview and the couple’s Netflix docuseries, Harry & Meghan. 

However, a judge dismissed the case in March 2024, stating that many of Meghan’s remarks were protected speech.

Despite the setback, Samantha isn’t giving up. Her legal team alleges that Meghan pushed a "false narrative" that painted her half-sister as a villain involved in orchestrating a hate campaign online.

One key moment under fire: Meghan’s statement that she “grew up as an only child.” Samantha argues this unfairly erases her place in Meghan’s life.

Is Meghan Markle close to her sister Samantha Markle? 

Samantha, who is about 17 years older than Meghan, has repeatedly criticized her in the media, accusing Meghan of abandoning her family and fabricating aspects of her past. She also wrote a memoir titled The Diary of Princess Pushy’s Sister, further fuelling tensions.

Despite Samantha’s public attacks, Meghan has largely stayed silent or addressed the situation indirectly. In her 2021 Oprah interview, Meghan said she was essentially raised as an only child and had little relationship with Samantha growing up. 

The rift deepened after Meghan and Harry’s Netflix documentary, prompting Samantha to sue Meghan for defamation—a case that was later dismissed by a US judge in 2023.

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