Meghan Markle celebrates legal win after half-sister's case is dismissed by judge

Meghan Markle is celebrating her latest legal win after it was revealed that a US court has dismissed a defamation case brought against her by her half-sister, Samantha Markle.

Samantha, daughter of Thomas Markle, accused the Duchess of Sussex of spreading "demonstrably false and malicious lies" to a "worldwide audience" in the royal couple's tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021.

According to PA news agency, who has had access to court papers, a Florida judge has dismissed the lawsuit, saying the mother-of-two was expressing "an opinion about her childhood and her relationship with her half-sibling" and a statement of pure opinion was "not capable of being proved false".

© Mike Coppola

US District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell wrote: "As a reasonable listener would understand it, defendant merely expresses an opinion about her childhood and her relationship with her half-siblings.

"Thus, the court finds that defendant's statement is not objectively verifiable or subject to empirical proof…. plaintiff cannot plausibly disprove defendant's opinion of her own childhood."

Meghan's win comes just a day after she was honoured with an incredible award and as her husband Prince Harry remains in the UK.

© Rex

On Thursday, the Duke reappeared at London's High Court for the final day of a four-day hearing in his latest legal battle. 

He is one of a number of high-profile individuals bringing privacy claims against ANL, the publisher of the Daily Mail, over allegations it carried out or commissioned illegal or unlawful information-gathering.

Harry sat through all of the proceedings on both Monday and Tuesday - you can see his arrival on day two below - but was absent from Wednesday's sitting.

© Max Mumby/Indigo

During his stay in London, it is thought that Harry is also vacating his and Meghan's former residence in Windsor. The couple were asked to vacate the property by King Charles last month.

LISTEN: Why Kate and Meghan are unlikely to wear a tiara at King Charles' coronation

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