The contentious relationship between Meghan Markle and her half-sister has been well-documented since the former began dating within the royal family. Samantha Markle and their father Thomas have been highly critical of the Duchess of Sussex over the years, so it’s no surprise that the older sister has plenty to say about the limited series that’s focused on the former Suits actress and her husband. Harry & Meghan has been trending on Netflix in December since its release, but Samantha claims it’s more “fake news” than docuseries.
Harry & Meghan has been getting absolutely brutalized in fans’ reviews of the show, despite its popularity on the streaming service. The six-episode series focuses on the lives of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, particularly the period of time from when they began dating to when they chose to step away from the royal family. Samantha Markle appeared on Tucker Carlson Tonight to dispute some of her half-sister’s claims, calling Harry & Meghan a “series of lies.” She told the Fox News host:
I can't believe we were essentially looking at $100 million fake news PR machine. It's projection at its finest. And it's almost comical.
Samantha Markle refuted some of the claims made by her younger sister on Harry & Meghan, including that the two weren’t close, after Meghan Markle said on the series that she hadn’t seen her “in over a decade and that was only for a day-and-a-half.” Samantha also took issue with the relationship the Duchess of Sussex said she had with their grandmother, saying:
The whole grandmother thing, that just did it for us. I think my grandmother would be rolling over in her grave if she saw that. And she didn't take care of her. She visited her. She never made apple butter with her, because my grandmother was making apple butter, like, in the 1970s before Meghan was even born. So it's been so far-fetched. It's like a tragic comedy, especially, sadly, for our family and for the royals.
In Volume 1 of Harry & Meghan, Meghan Markle opened up about her relationship with her father’s side of the family, particularly the heartbreaking struggle she endured with Thomas Markle ahead of her wedding. She also spoke about Samantha Markle, saying they never had a fallout; they just weren’t close to begin with. Meghan said of her half-sister:
I don’t know your middle name, I don’t know your birthday, you’re telling these people that you raised me and that you’ve coined me ’Princess Pushy?’… I don’t remember seeing her when I was a kid at my dad’s house if and when they would come around. And the last time that I saw her that I remember when I was in my early 20s. I haven’t had a fallout with her. We didn’t have a closeness to be able to have that. And I wanted a sister!
Harry & Meghan was a controversial project from the beginning. Even before its release on Netflix, the series was called into question for using old and out-of-context footage in the trailer to portray the famous couple being hounded by the press. A representative for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex also was forced to respond to backlash over why they would release a series after fans errantly claimed the couple had asked for privacy when stepping away from their royal duties.
Whatever side of the family you believe, you can check out all the drama by streaming Harry & Meghan with a Netflix subscription. Also be sure to check out everything that’s new and and coming soon to Netflix.
