After two years of revealing interviews, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are now beginning to experience the legal fallout for their bombshell series of tell-alls.
Last week, a US judge struck down Meghan’s desperate final bid to avoid facing a deposition as part of a defamation and grievous falsehood case brought against her by estranged older half-sister, Samantha Markle.
WATCH: Harry & Meghan Official Trailer
Samantha says Meghan made “demonstrably false and malicious statements … to a worldwide audience [of] roughly 50 million people in 17 countries” during her 2021 TV sit-down with Oprah Winfrey.
Meghan, 41, and Prince Harry, 38, will now face under-oath questioning from Samantha’s lawyers.
Her legal team have indicated they’ll be probing whether Meghan lied about her upbringing to promote a “rags to royalty” fairytale, and will force her to rescind inference that members of the royal family are racist.
It’s a case Harry’s brother Prince William, 40, “will be watching with keen interest”, according to a royal insider.
New Idea is told Wills was “furious” after Meghan claimed someone among the senior royals made “concerning comments” over what her future child’s skin colour may be.
While the Sussexes added the comments weren’t made by the late Prince Philip or Queen Elizabeth, the accusations were left hanging over the heads of the rest of the Windsors.
“At the time, William was close to launching legal action,” claims a source. “Harry and Meghan basically made the world question who the so-called royal racist is, which has been very damaging. But the Queen talked him out of it.”
Since Her Majesty’s death last September, there’s no-one left to stop William now, which could result in the brothers having to face off against each other in a courtroom showdown.
WATCH: Prince Harry says he’s lucky to have Meghan Markle by his side in Oprah interview
Insiders suggest that “Harry seems to know this”, given he made a startling U-turn on the claims during an interview while promoting his book, Spare.
“You have to wonder if Harry’s team suspects William has a case, and thought it best for Harry to amend the record,” says a source.
“Especially with this Sam Markle case looming. You’d think William will be keeping an eye on this possible deposition, given he is still furious at Harry.”
But courtiers are divided over whether the legal route is his best option, as no-one wants to see these once-close brothers facing each other in court.
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