The duchess is being sued for defamation by her half sister Samantha Markle.
14 March 2022
The Duchess of Sussex’s father Thomas Markle said he is hoping to face Meghan and her “ginger husband” in court as part of the defamation case being brought by the duchess’s half sister.
Mr Markle has sided with his older daughter Samantha Markle and said he would be “thrilled” to be able to defend her.
She is alleging in court documents that Meghan made “false and malicious lies” about her during the Sussexes’ Oprah Winfrey interview and in the Finding Freedom biography.
Ms Markle said this subjected her to “humiliation, shame and hatred on a worldwide scale”.
Meghan’s father, in his new YouTube channel in collaboration with Karl Larsen – the first photographer to find and photograph him – said: “I’ve been trying for almost four years to get to see my daughter and her ginger husband in a courtroom face to face.
“I haven’t seen my grandchildren. I’d be thrilled to come to court and talk and defend my oldest daughter.”
Meghan has been estranged from her father since he was caught staging paparazzi photographs ahead of her 2018 wedding to the Duke of Sussex.
In her Oprah interview, she said she was an only child and only saw her half sister a handful of times, the legal papers said.
The court documents allege that Meghan promoted a narrative that Ms Markle sold false stories about her childhood to the tabloids.
With a copy of the Finding Freedom book, some notes and a long lens digital camera on the table in front of him, Mr Markle said: “I can’t imagine Meghan even going into the court with this.
“I think she should settle because she can’t defend the things she has said.”
He began the episode by saying: “Hi. I’m Thomas, Meghan’s dad and this gentleman is Karl who got the first photo of me and ruined my life and then saved me.”
Mr Markle said they became friends after Mr Larsen reached out to him in support.
A spokesperson for the duchess has yet to comment.
Michael Kump, Meghan’s lawyer, said of the legal action: “This baseless and absurd lawsuit is just a continuation of a pattern of disturbing behaviour.
“We will give it the minimum attention necessary, which is all it deserves.”
