**Meghan Markle Faces New Scandal Over Alleged Evidence Tampering**

Meghan Markle finds herself embroiled in a fresh controversy as her half-sister, Samantha Markle, accuses her of tampering with evidence in their ongoing defamation lawsuit.

The legal battle dates back to March 2022 when Samantha filed a lawsuit against Meghan, claiming that the Duchess had made false and damaging statements about her during an interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021.

Meghan had asserted in the interview that she essentially grew up as an only child and had limited acquaintance with Samantha, who is significantly older than her by 17 years.

Samantha Markle, who grapples with multiple sclerosis and relies on a wheelchair, contends that Meghan's remarks tarnished her reputation and led to financial losses in her career as an author.

Initially, a federal judge in Florida dismissed the lawsuit in March 2023, deeming Meghan's statements as expressions of opinion rather than verifiable facts.

However, Samantha persisted by appealing the decision and submitting a revised complaint in October 2023.

This amended complaint included fresh allegations accusing Meghan of evidence tampering and breaching a court order to preserve her electronic communications.

In a surprising turn of events, Samantha Markle's attorney, Peter Tickton, disclosed that they had secured a confession from Meghan's estranged father, Thomas Markle.

Thomas admitted to being asked by Meghan to delete certain text messages and emails that could hold relevance in the legal proceedings.

Despite their strained relationship since Meghan's marriage to Prince Harry in 2018, Thomas expressed regret over complying with his daughter's request and voiced his desire to support Samantha in her legal fight.

On the other side, Meghan Markle's lawyer, Michael Kump, vehemently refuted the accusations leveled against his client.

Kump argued that Samantha's claims were unfounded and driven by envy and animosity.

He maintained that Meghan had adhered to all court directives and had not instructed her father to erase any evidence.

Kump further discredited Thomas Markle's confession, labeling it as unreliable and inconsistent with his previous statements and actions.

He accused Samantha Markle and her legal counsel of orchestrating a smear campaign against Meghan to exploit her fame for personal gain.

The defamation lawsuit is slated to proceed to trial in November 2024 following a federal judge's decision to grant Samantha Markle's motion for oral argument on dismissing the revised complaint.

The trial is anticipated to span approximately five days and may feature testimonies from both Meghan and Samantha, alongside other witnesses and experts.

This legal clash adds to the array of challenges confronting Meghan Markle, including her lawsuits against British tabloids for privacy violations and copyright infringement related to a letter she penned to her father in 2018.

Moreover, the lawsuit exacerbates the already strained relations between Meghan Markle and the royal family, stemming from her and Prince Harry's decision to relinquish their senior royal roles and relocate to the United States in 2020.

The couple's public airing of grievances, particularly in their candid interview with Oprah Winfrey, where they raised allegations of racism, lack of support, and isolation within the royal establishment, has further fueled tensions.

Despite the royal family's assertions of love and acceptance, prospects for reconciliation appear dim as Meghan and Harry pursue their independent ventures, including lucrative deals with media platforms like Netflix and Spotify, their philanthropic entity Archewell, and their literary and podcasting endeavors.