The Duchess of Sussex has a strained relationship with her siblings
Although many focus on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's relationship with the Royal Family in their docuseries, Meghan also explores her strained relationship with some family members.
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The Duchess of Sussex has two half-siblings, Samantha and Thomas Jr., with the trio all sharing the same father, Thomas Markle. Meghan's mother is Doria Ragland, while Samantha and Thomas Jr.'s mum is Roslyn Markle. The half-siblings have a very strained relationship, with neither making an appearance at her 2018 wedding to Harry.
Both have also spoken against Meghan, with Samantha having called the Duchess a "shallow social climber" in , although she did praise her in book, and Thomas Jr. has criticised Meghan's strained relationship with their dad.
Meghan addressed her relationship with Samantha in the docuseries, explaining they hadn't seen each other in over a decade, with their last reunion lasting a "day and a half".
But who are Samantha and Thomas Jr.? Read on to find out…
Samantha Markle
Samantha is Meghan's eldest half-sibling, and following a childhood injury, she was left with blindness in one eye and paralysis on her left side. Samantha now uses a wheelchair after being diagnosed with multi-scoliosis in 2008.
Samantha is a qualified mental health nurse and has three children, who she shares with her two ex-husbands. She shares Ashleigh and Christopher with Earl Hale and Noelle with Scott Rasmussen.
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She launched legal action against Meghan earlier this year, over the Duchess' dramatic interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021. Samantha is seeking $75,000 in damages. If the pair fail to mediates, a trial date is set for 2 October 2023.
Although Samantha and Meghan aren't close, the same can't be said for Meghan and Samantha's eldest daughter, Ashleigh. The pair enjoy a strong bond, with Ashleigh even making an appearance in the docuseries.
Thomas Markle Jr.
Thomas Jr. is Meghan's older half-brother and he works as a window fitter. Thomas Jr. is a father of two children, Thomas and Tyler, who he shares with his first ex-wife, Tracy Dooley.
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Like Samantha, Thomas has a strained relationship with the Duchess and famously wrote to Prince Harry ahead of his wedding to Meghan urging him to "call if off". He later retracted from his letter, apologising for it and wishing the pair a happy future.
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