Meghan’s legal battle with her half-sister Samantha Markle could “knock sideways” the coronation news, the former Queen’s press secretary tells PALACE CONFIDENTIAL
Meghan Markle’s legal ‘minefield’ could hit the coronation and send it ‘sideways’ after her half-sister accused her of slandering her to ‘cover up’ her ‘rags-to-riches’ false narrative.
That’s the view of Dickie Arbiter, who was the Queen’s press secretary between 1988 and 2000, who told Jo Elvin on Palace Confidential that “this whole thing is a bit of a minefield”.
Dickie, who was also press secretary for King Charles III. told the Mail Plus talk show that it had the potential to “knock the coronation news sideways” by causing a distraction in an important year for the royal family.
The Duchess of Sussex (pictured) is currently locked in a legal battle with her half-sister Samantha Markle, who has accused Meghan of slandering her to “cover up” her ‘dummy rags to riches’ narrative.
Dickie Arbiter (pictured), the Queen’s press secretary, believes the case brought by Samantha Markle is an unwelcome distraction at an important year for the royal family
“It’s a bit like walking through a minefield that’s only half cleared and we’ll really have to wait and see what the judge will summarize,” he explained.
The elder Markle, 58, appeared with her attorney at a virtual court hearing in her defamation case against her half-sister on Wednesday.
Her lawyer claimed Meghan “got caught” and resorted to “publicly slamming her sister” because she threatened to embarrass her.
Lawyers for Meghan, who were also present on the call, said the claims were “inappropriate” and “offensive” to the former Suits star, 41, and called for the case to be dismissed because of its “serious deficiencies”.
The will-they-won’t-they element of whether the Sussexes will come to the coronation is also a headache for the Palace, argues the Mail on Sunday’s Charlotte Griffiths.
The editor-in-chief said: “They probably want to end the speculation and it’s upsetting for them because actually I think Meghan and Harry haven’t made up their minds either.”
In response to the question, “Should the palace just make a decision about this?” Charlotte explained, “You can’t say you’re banned because it would make them look awful.”
She continued: ‘[the palace] I just don’t know if Harry and Meghan will accept.
“It would be very embarrassing for them if Harry and Meghan declined the invitation.
“I think that’s why they’re letting the speculation continue because they’re stuck in this no man’s land.”
Charlotte suggested it would be nice to see Meghan at the coronation as Charles walked her down the aisle on their wedding day.
Whereas Dickie would prefer none of them to attend, saying if they did it would be Harry who would show up alone.
“Will you come? It’s the $100,000 question,” he added.
‘If they come, I don’t think it’s them, I think it’s him more than they.
“Personally I think they are better off not coming, they don’t want to detract from the big occasion.”