Meghan faces cameras for legal grilling
EXCLUSIVE
THE estranged sister of Meghan Markle wants a judge to order her royal sibling to undergo a legal grilling – recorded on video.
Former actress Meghan, who played paralegal Rachel Zane in TV drama Suits before she married Prince Harry, could be questioned for up to seven hours while the cameras roll.
The move – for what is called a deposition in the US – is the latest twist in a bitter legal row between the Duchess of Sussex and her sister, Samantha.
It comes days after Meghan’s lawyers filed a court bid to dismiss a defamation case brought by her sibling.
WRECKED
Samantha wants £60,000 in damages. She says her reputation was wrecked by comments Meghan made about her childhood during a TV interview with Oprah Winfrey, and by claims in a book called Finding Freedom, written by friends of the Duchess.
Last night her lawyer, Jamie Alan Sasson, told the Sunday Mirror: “Our intention is to take this case to a jury trial. I feel confident we’ll get past the motion to dismiss. We expect to start taking depositions... within the next six months.”
Mr Sasson said a move could even be made to ask for evidence from Prince Harry. As he is not a party in the case, he would be at liberty to refuse.
But the lawyer said: “I think he would have relevant information.”
Samantha, 57, says she has been the victim of “demonstrably false and malicious statements” which subjected her to “humiliation and hatred”.
She also accuses Meghan, 40, of telling “malicious lies” about her upbringing with a “fairy-tale life story”.
Meghan’s lawyers hit back last week by filing an application to have the case thrown out of court in Tampa, Florida.
They say the case is “without any merit” and the allegations against the Duchess “are demonstrably false”.
RESPONSE
Duchess’s sister says royal ruined her reputation
They add Samantha’s claims about the book “all fail for the obvious reason that Meghan did not make them”.
Samantha now has until June 3 to file a response. A judge will then rule on whether the case can proceed.
The sisters share a father, Thomas Markle. He had Samantha with first wife Roslyn and later got together with Meghan’s mum, Doria Ragland.
Mr Sasson said: “Meghan has said she didn’t have a relationship with Samantha, but their father has said, ‘It isn’t true. Meghan did have a relationship with Samantha.’
“What better evidence could you have than the head of the family saying one daughter is telling the truth, the other is not? There are a number of things Meghan said which are just not true – and Samantha can prove it.”
Depositions are used as part of what is called “the discovery process” in the US. Prince Andrew had been due to give one on camera before agreeing a multi-million pound out-of-court settlement with his sex accuser Virginia Giuffre on no admission of liability.
Meghan’s representatives were approached for comment.
There are a number of things Meghan said which are just not true
LAWYER FOR SAMANTHA MARKLE