Meghan Markle ‘could be questioned under oath about the identity of the “royal racists” who had “concerns” about Archie’s skin colour’ – as sister Samantha’s pursues libel action against the duchess in the US

Meghan Markle could be forced to answer questions about the identity of the ‘royal racists’ while under oath, it has been claimed.

The Duchess of Sussex, who lives in the United States with her husband Prince Harry, could be questioned about ‘family matters’ as part of a lawsuit against her.

The mother-of-two is being sued for defamation by her half-sister Samantha Markle after claiming in a now infamous interview with Oprah in 2021 that she ‘grew up as an only child’ and didn’t have much of a relationship with her sibling.

Samantha’s lawyer, Peter Ticktin, has claimed that as part of the libel action he will demand both the Duke and Duchess of Sussex submit to a deposition which means they would be interviewed under oath.

As part of this, the pair could be questioned about the issue of which members of the Royal Family allegedly made remarks about the race of their unborn son, Archie, the Sun reports.

Meghan Markle could be forced to answer questions about the identify of the alleged ‘royal racists’ under oath. Pictured: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the Andalusian Gardens in Rabat, Morocco, in February 2019

Meghan could be questioned under oath as part of a lawsuit by her half-sister, Samantha Markle, who is suing her for defamation. Pictured: Meghan Markle at Samantha’s graduation in 2008

It comes after King Charles and the Princess of Wales were named in a book as the two Royals alleged to have commented on the skin colour of Prince Archie before he was born. Pictured (L-R): Queen Camilla, King Charles, Prince William and Princess Catherine at The Diplomatic Reception at Buckingham Palace on December 5

A Dutch version of a book by Omid Scobie, the Sussexes’ biographer, last month reclaimed King Charles and the Princess of Wales were accused by Meghan of raising ‘concerns’ about Archie’s skin colour.

The Royal Family and the Sussexes have both remained silent about the claims, but it has still rekindled the royal race row which has overshadowed their relationship in recent years, after the allegations first came to light during Harry and Meghan’s interview with Oprah in 2021.

Now Florida-based lawyer Mr Ticktin has said the issue ‘needs to be explored’ and this could happen as part of Samantha’s lawsuit.

‘There’s reasons why she abandoned her family and turned on her family,’ he said.

‘This is a person who wants to be able to say horrible things and not really care if she destroyed the lives of people in her family.

‘She doesn’t care if she destroys the monarchy.’

MailOnline has contacted Harry and Meghan’s representatives for comment.

Despite the royal race row being rekindled sources close to the King claimed earlier this month the monarch was refusing to be emotionally blackmailed by Prince Harry after the release of Omid Scobie’s book, Endgame.

A Dutch version of the book had to be hastily pulled from shelves after it revealed the names of the two members of the royal family accused of raising ‘concerns’ over Archie’s skin colour.

Sources close to the King, who Scobie accused alongside the Princess of Wales of discussing Archie’s skin, said he was ‘not concerned’ at being named and was instead ‘full of energy’.

They told the Sun King Charles has informed friends he will ‘not be emotionally blackmailed by his own son’.

This morning His Majesty was joined by the Queen at a traditional Christmas Eve church service in Sandringham as they prepare for an extended family gathering.

The monarch, 75, looked in festive spirit as he offered well-wishers a cheery wave while striding towards St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham this morning, accompanied by Queen Camilla, Princess Anne and Sir Timothy Laurence.

King Charles smiled warmly at the crowds who’d turned out to greet the royals at the Sandringham estate, with many of them taking photos on their phones of the royal entourage.

The royals will spend Christmas day and New Year at Sandringham House.

Wearing his favourite tweed coat, the monarch looked in good spirits as he made his way towards St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, walking alongside Princess Anne’s husband Sir Timothy Laurence

The king was wearing his favourite tweed coat, thought to be around 40 years old and from Savile Row, over a slate grey suit, with brown suede shoes 

It’s likely the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children will join the King and Queen on the Norfolk estate for the festive period, along with other senior royals.

Queen Camilla’s children and grandchildren have, it’s thought, been invited to Sandringham to for the first time.

It’s thought to be the first time that Tom Parker Bowles, 48, and his younger sister Laura Lopes, 45 – the Queen’s children by her first husband Andrew Parker Bowles, have been invited to spend Christmas at Sandringham House.

However, the Sussexes are not set to be there and are expected to remain in California where they have lived for the last few years since leaving the UK. 

Last month it was revealed the trial involving Samantha and Meghan will begin in Tampa on November 4, 2024, a judge ruled this month. It is expected to last up to five days. Samantha is seeking $75,000 in damages.

Samantha, 59, who has long been estranged from the Duchess of Sussex, alleges that she was defamed during the infamous Prince Harry and Meghan interview with Oprah Winfrey that aired in 2021.

In March, a judge in Florida threw out the suit saying that Meghan’s claims would be impossible to disprove but following amendments, the same judge appears to have ruled that there is merit to the claims.

During the interview, Meghan, 42, made references to growing up as an only child, something which Samantha resented, alleging that she had a normal sibling relationship with her younger half-sister.

Meghan Markle pictured at the Variety 2023 Power of Women event in California on November 16

In a decision dated November 14, the same judge set a trial date for November 2024, with ‘in person’ meetings scheduled beforehand. Meghan’s team has lodged another motion to appeal against Samantha’s current suit, that the judge is yet to rule on.

‘Until we get a decision on Meghan Markle’s Motion to Dismiss, we do not know whether the case will go forward, or not,’ Samantha’s lawyer Peter Ticktin told DailyMail.com.

‘I do believe, though, that this judge is fair and will do the right thing. My argument on the hearing on the Motion to Dismiss should carry the day, and I am optimistic as we are in the right,’ he added.

Samantha, who battles multiple sclerosis and uses a wheelchair, said that those comments resulted in her being subjected to ‘humiliation and hatred’ while calling Meghan’s words in the interview ‘demonstrably false and malicious.’

Those comments hurt the sales of her book, The Diary of Princess Pushy’s Sister Part 1, Samantha claims.

Meghan’s lawyers have said that the former Suits’ star’s comments reflected her own personal experience.

Samantha is Meghan’s father Thomas’s oldest daughter. The pair have different mothers.

Since Meghan’s engagement to Prince Harry, Samantha has appeared in countless TV and radio interviews.

She maintains that the pair were close in childhood and that she often ‘helped Meghan with her homework’ and took her on trips to the mall.

Meghan and Harry’s Oprah Winfrey interview in March 2021. She claimed she grew up an ‘only child’ 

Samantha Markle is seeking damages in excess of $75,000

‘Once Meghan started to have success as an actress, she no longer had time for her older sister, Samantha, and by 2016, the two had stopped visiting, though there were no bad feelings between them, as far as Samantha knew.

‘Unfortunately, once Meghan met and began dating Prince Harry Meghan became hostile to Samantha, as well as her half-brother and her father, and Meghan’s relationship with Samantha became estranged,’ her lawsuit reads.

In her first version of the lawsuit, Samantha claimed Meghan intentionally defamed her by providing information to the authors of Finding Freedom that she says is false.

Among the tidbits was Meghan’s apparent claim that Samantha ‘dropped out of high school’.

Those details are scrubbed from the amended complaint, which focuses solely on Meghan’s remarks in the Oprah interview.

‘Once Meghan started to have success as an actress, she no longer had time for her older sister, Samantha, and by 2016, the two had stopped visiting, though there were no bad feelings between them, as far as Samantha knew.

‘Unfortunately, once Meghan met and began dating Prince Harry, Meghan became hostile to Samantha, as well as her half-brother and her father, and Meghan’s relationship with Samantha became estranged,’ her lawsuit reads.

In her first version of the lawsuit, Samantha claimed Meghan intentionally defamed her by providing information to the authors of Finding Freedom that she says is false.

Among the tidbits was Meghan’s apparent claim that Samantha ‘dropped out of high school’.

Those details are scrubbed from the amended complaint, which focuses solely on Meghan’s remarks in the Oprah interview.