Samantha Markle hospitalised after ‘paparazzi confrontation’

MEGHAN Markle’s half-sister Samantha is in hospital after a dramatic “confrontation” with the paparazzi.

MEGHAN Markle’s half sister has been hospitalised with a broken ankle and fractured knee - injuries suffered during a confrontation with paparazzi, it has been reported.

Samantha’s boyfriend Mark told TMZ that the pair were driving in Florida when a photographer veering in front of their car, and they hit a concrete barrier in their attempts to avoid a collision.

TMZ reports that Samantha, who has multiple sclerosis, “hit the windshield and fell to the floor mat,” and was taken to the hospital where she’s receiving treatment.

The dramatic injury comes as Meghan Markle’s father Thomas dropped out of attending the royal wedding, as he needed urgent heart surgery yesterday.

Markle’s half-sister yesterday launched an astonishing attack on the US actor just days before the royal wedding.

Samantha said the bride-to-be, who will become a member of the royal family in just three days, had no right to tell her not to speak about family affairs, The Sun reports.

Speaking to TMZ, Samantha said: “She’s way out of her league to tell me I can’t speak.

“If it’s about my life or my father’s, there’s something in this country called freedom of speech.

“She’s not going to tell me I can’t speak about my life or my father’s.”

It comes just a day after Piers Morgan slammed the American, calling her a “little vulture” for constantly speaking about the royal wedding and trashing Meghan.

When asked by TMZ about why she had continued to speak out, Samantha said “this is not Great Britain”.

But she said she had still bought the bride-to-be a wedding present despite the strained relationship between the pair- refusing to reveal what it was as it would ruin the “surprise”.

She said: “I went for something I thought was really sentimental.

“I would give it to her in person but if not, I will send it.”

Image tweeted by Samantha Markle showing Samantha and Meghan together in happier times. Picture: Twitter

Tensions within the Markle family have already started to show, with Meghan’s mum Doria Ragland said to be furious with her ex-husband Thomas Markle for not stopping relatives from slamming the bride-to-be.

A source told The Sun Online: “Thomas and Doria are currently barely speaking to one another. He is trying to make peace after everything that has happened.

“Their relationship had been hanging by a thread for months before the staged photo scandals. He had told friends that he wanted to come with the peace gesture for an appeasement before the wedding and his daughter’s big day, but his recent actions have crushed that.”

Doria Ragland is said to be furious at Meghan’s father Thomas Markle. Picture: Rachpoot/MEGA TheMegaAgency.com

Doria, who was on Tuesday pictured heading to the airport to make her way to the UK for her daughter’s big day, is now tipped to give Meghan away after Thomas said he had to miss the wedding on Saturday and undergo a heart operation.

Meghan’s estranged family certainly haven’t been shy at speaking out about the US actor ahead of the royal wedding.

Her half-brother Thomas Jr even wrote an open letter to Prince Harry, telling the 33-year-old royal to call off the upcoming nuptials, blasting it as a “fake fairy tale”.

Meghan’s half siblings have continued to attack her through media interviews in the lead up to her wedding to Prince Harry on Saturday. Picture: Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage

Thomas’ letter, published in In Touch Weekly, warned: “As more time passes to your royal wedding it becomes very clear that this is the biggest mistake in royal history.”

After Meghan wore a £56,000 (AUD $100,000) designer dress for her engagement photo, Samantha Markle, 52, said: “If you can spend (USD) $75,000 on a dress, you can spend $75,000 on your dad.”

Some family members are also expected to cash in on the royal wedding, with a Channel 4 documentary giving an insight into Prince Harry’s future in-laws.