Meghan Markle's Estranged Half-Sister Vows to Sue Royal for 'Libel, Slander' and 'Breach of Privacy'
09:36 GMT 14.11.2021 (Updated: 15:16 GMT 28.05.2023)
© AP Photo / Daniel Leal-Olivas
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Previously, Meghan Markle admitted that she instructed her former communications secretary to give information to the authors of her unauthorised biography, Finding Freedom, in a statement submitted to the UK Court of Appeal as part of legal wrangling between the royal and the publisher of The Mail on Sunday, Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL).
Meghan Markle's estranged half-sister is gearing up to launch lawsuits against the Duchess of Sussex in the UK and the US, claiming she lied about her sibling to the authors of a controversial book, reported Sunday People.
The unauthorised biography, Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family" was penned by journalists Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand. Samantha Markle, 57, is said to have scheduled a meeting with her legal team on Monday about the possibility of suing Prince Harry’s wife for “defamation, libel and slander” as well as “breach of privacy”.
“I’m speaking to one lawyer in England and one in the US as there are different statutory windows and different issues,” the American who penned a tell-all book, The Diary of Princess Pushy's Sister, was quoted as saying.
The decision was prompted by an apology delivered by Meghan Markle on Wednesday at the UK Court of Appeal as part of a legal battle between the her and the publisher of The Mail on Sunday, Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL). The Duchess of Sussex apologised for failing to recall that she told her ex-PR chief Jason Knauf what information to reveal to the authors of "Finding Freedom".
Previously, both Meghan Markle and Prince Harry had distances themselves from the biography, denying that they ever collaborated with the authors of the book released last year. Samantha Markle told the outlet she had been “shocked” over her half-sister’s revelation after all the emphasis she had previously made on the importance of privacy. Finding Freedom asserts that Samantha “dropped out of high school” and had “never had a relationship with either of them.” Furthermore, “upon Meghan dating Harry, Samantha changed her name back to Markle and began a career creating stories to sell to the press. She had lost custody of all three of her children from different fathers.”
Samantha Markle added:
“Jason Knauf is subpoenable and the messages to [him] are evidence she was libelling and slandering me. Anything to keep this family quiet was my sister’s motto. It’s horrible.”
Meghan Markle was forced to apologise in court after a series of emails were disclosed revealing that she had collaborated with the authors of a the biography that offers a glimpse into the couple’s life as senior royals and relationship with other members of the Firm – the unofficial nickname used to refer to the British Royals - and their controversial decision to quit royal life and move to North America.
Extraordinary email from Meghan to Knauf tucked away in evidence today, setting out ‘some background reminders’ for a detailed briefing seemingly set up between royal staff and Finding Freedom’s authors. pic.twitter.com/TFEjO40Se6
— Tom Wells (@ByTomWells) November 10, 2021
The correspondence, released by the Court of Appea, showed how the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had briefed their then press spokesman Jason Knauf before he met with writers Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand two years ago.
Announcing FINDING FREEDOM: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand. For the very first time, #FindingFreedom goes beyond the headlines to reveal unknown details of Harry & Meghan’s life! pic.twitter.com/uZv2prYvRT
— HarperCollins India (@HarperCollinsIN) May 4, 2020
After Finding Freedom was published, a spokesman for the Sussexes was quoted by the Press Association as saying: “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were not interviewed and did not contribute.”
However, messages revealed by Jason Knauf , who was Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s communications secretary until March 2019, showed her sending him details about Samantha Markle and brother Thomas Jr, to be subsequently passed on to writers Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand.
In a witness statement, Knauf said the aforementioned book was “discussed on a routine basis” directly with the duchess “multiple times in person and over email”.
Legal Battle
The issue of the biography came to light during the court battle between Meghan Markle and Associated Newspapers Limited - a company trying to appeal a verdict by the UK High Court. In 2019, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry sued the publisher of The Mail on Sunday for printing excerpts of a letter the Duchess of Sussex wrote to her father, Thomas.
The royal couple accused the publisher of breach of privacy and copyright infringement. Earlier this year, the judge sided with the royals ruling that the publication was manifestly excessive and hence unlawful. However, Associated Newspapers Limited appealed the verdict, presenting new information obtained from the Duchess’ former communications director, with QC Andrew Caldecott arguing that correspondence between Jason Krauf and Meghan Markle proved that the royal suspected that the letter might be leaked to the press.
Ex-palace communications chief, Jason Knauf’s, correspondence with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex revealed to the court showed that Prince Harry asked him in December 2018 if he would give the writers of the unauthorised biography a “rough idea of what [Meghan’s] been through over the last two years?”.
Britain's Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle pose for photographers during a photocall in the grounds of Kensington Palace in London, Monday Nov. 27, 2017
© AP Photo / Matt Dunham
Prince Harry reportedly referenced the “media onslaught” and “cyber bullying on a different scale”. While neither the Duke nor the Duchess of Sussex ever had any direct contact with the book authors, Knauf, who did meet with them, told Meghan Markle in December 2018 that he “took them through everything”, UK media reported, citing court statements.
“They are going to time the book for run-up to the baby being born and it is going to be very positive. They are prioritising the US market and will position it as a celebration of you that corrects the record on a number of fronts. I will stay in close contact with them,” Knauf was cited as saying.
