Meghan Markle this week was denied a motion to stay discovery in a defamation lawsuit brought by her estranged half-sister Samantha Markle over the Duchess of Sussex’s 2021 tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey.
Meghan Markle “does not show that unusual circumstances justify the requested stay, or that prejudice or an undue burden will result if the Court does not impose a stay,” Florida judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell said Tuesday in court documents obtained by Fox News Digital.
Markle had requested the stay on discovery in the case “pending a resolution” on her motion to have the lawsuit dismissed but her sister argued that Markle was just trying to delay the case.
Honeywell agreed that “some of the claims against her may be ripe” to have the case dismissed but said she doesn’t meet the “high standard” to stay discovery.
Samantha Markle is suing her estranged half-sister Meghan Markle for defamation over her 2021 Oprah Winfrey interview. (Gilbert Carrasquillo/Ben Birchall – WPA Pool)
She added there was an “immediate and clear possibility” the case could be dismissed but said the likelihood of a dismissal isn’t a reason to stay discovery.
Earlier this week, Samantha Markle had demanded that both Meghan Markle and Prince Harry be deposed in separate interviews. Neither would have to be interviewed if the case were dismissed.
The documents said that “to date, the Duchess has not agreed to schedule one single deposition.”
Samantha Markle is claiming the Duchess of Sussex defamed her “based on demonstrably false and malicious statements” made in her 2021 Oprah interview (Harpo Productions)
Samantha sued Markle for allegedly making “false” statements in her interview with Winfrey. She accused her of defamation “based on demonstrably false and malicious statements” made in the sit-down on March 7, 2021. Samantha alleged that the duchess’ “lies” were “designed to destroy [her] reputation” and have subjected her to “humiliation, shame and hatred on a worldwide scale.”
Samantha wants the former “Suits” star to admit she lied about their sibling relationship and upbringing to sell a “rags-to-royalty” narrative. She alleged that Markle lied about being an “only child,” as well as the last time they saw each other. Samantha claimed that Markle falsely stated the elder sibling changed her last name to Markle after she began dating Harry.
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Markle told Oprah Winfrey in 2021 that the last time she saw Samantha was when she was 19 and that she doesn’t “really know” her.
Markle and Samantha have the same father, Thomas Markle, who Samantha has also requested be deposed.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Meghan Markle’s attorney Michael Kump for comment.
Last year, he told Fox News Digital, “This baseless and absurd lawsuit is just a continuation of a pattern of disturbing behavior. We will give it the minimum attention necessary, which is all it deserves,” Kump said at the time.
Fox News Digital’s Stephanie Nolasco contributed to this report.
