Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams has spoken out about what he calls a major problem for Meghan Markle, pointing to her ongoing estrangement from her father and half-sister. In an interview with Fox News, Fitzwilliams said the rift has cast “a dark cloud” over Meghan and continues to affect how she is perceived.
Meghan’s half-sister, Samantha Markle, is appealing a defamation case she filed against the Duchess of Sussex in 2022. The lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice in 2024, meaning the same case cannot be refiled, but an oral argument related to the appeal is scheduled for September 9 in Jacksonville, Florida.
Discussing the broader implications, Fitzwilliams remarked, “One of the strange characteristics of Meghan is that she plays at being so relentlessly positive yet only appears to get on with her mother.”
He continued, “One of the reasons she is struggling with her work is that people don’t buy it. She is not genuine. Whatever her father’s faults are, and they are considerable, he did play a huge role in bringing her up.”
The original filing from Samantha stemmed from remarks Meghan made during her 2020 television interview with Oprah Winfrey. At the time, Meghan said, “I think it’d be very hard to tell all when you don’t know me. And I mean, this is a very different situation than my dad, right?”
She also said, “When you talk about betrayal, betrayal comes from someone that you have a relationship with, right? I don’t feel comfortable talking about people that I really don’t know. But I grew up as an only child, which everyone who grew up around me knows.”
Those comments were at the heart of Samantha’s defamation claim, which alleged that Meghan misrepresented their relationship. Although the case was dismissed earlier this year, the appeal has kept the family conflict in public view, People magazine reported.
Observers note that Meghan’s personal relationships remain a frequent point of contention, even as she continues her professional projects in the United States alongside Prince Harry. The tension between Meghan and her estranged relatives has become a recurring narrative in media coverage, something experts like Fitzwilliams argue undermines her attempts to shape a positive public image.
As the September court date approaches, Meghan is once again facing renewed scrutiny, not just from critics but also from a legal system revisiting the bitter dispute with her half-sister.