While Meghan Markle is known to be particularly close to her mother Doria, the same can't be said for the mum-of-two and the rest of her family, with the royal having a strained relationship with her two half-siblings.
The Duchess of Sussex has two half-siblings, Samantha and Thomas Jr., with the trio all sharing the same father, Thomas Markle. Meghan's mother is Doria Ragland, while Samantha and Thomas Jr.'s mum is Roslyn Markle. The half-siblings have a very strained relationship, with neither making an appearance at her 2018 wedding to Harry.
Both have also spoken against Meghan, with Samantha having called the Duchess a "shallow social climber" in an interview with UK newspaper The Sun, and Thomas Jr. criticising Meghan's strained relationship with their dad.
But who are Samantha and Thomas Jr.? Read on to find out…
Samantha Markle
© S Meddle/ITV/ShutterstockSamantha is Meghan's eldest half-sibling, and following a childhood injury, she was left with blindness in one eye and paralysis on her left side. Samantha now uses a wheelchair after being diagnosed with multi-scoliosis in 2008.
Samantha is a qualified mental health nurse and has three children, who she shares with her two ex-husbands. She shares Ashleigh and Christopher with Earl Hale and Noelle with Scott Rasmussen.
Samantha launched legal action against Meghan in 2022, over the Duchess' dramatic interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021; she sought $75,000 in damages. However, in March 2024, judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell dismissed the case "with prejudice" meaning that Samantha will not be able to refile the suit.
Although Samantha and Meghan aren't close, the same can't be said for Meghan and Samantha's eldest daughter, Ashleigh. The pair enjoy a strong bond, with Ashleigh even making an appearance in the docuseries.
Thomas Markle Jr.
© Photo: RexThomas Jr. is Meghan's older half-brother and he works as a window fitter. Thomas Jr. is a father of two children, Thomas and Tyler, who he shares with his first ex-wife, Tracy Dooley.
© MediaPunch/ShutterstockLike Samantha, Thomas has a strained relationship with the Duchess and famously wrote to Prince Harry ahead of his wedding to Meghan urging him to "call if off". He later retracted from his letter, apologising for it and wishing the pair a happy future.
