Engagement about love not royalty, says Meghan Markle's half-sister

Meghan Markle's half-sister has congratulated the former actress on her engagement to Prince Harry, saying: "It's not about royalty so much as it is about love."

Samantha Grant, 52, told ITV's Good Morning Britain that Ms Markle is "creative, charming, lovely" and "full of life".

She also insisted that reports of feuds in the Markle family are a "media construct".

Speaking from her home in Florida, she said: "We have to let bygones be bygones, this is so special and important," adding that rumours of family disputes are "just silly".

"We really want her to be happy," she added.

"She's just so sweet and charming, and I've seen that so much in her recently."

She said her half-sister is "overwhelmingly happy" with the news.

Asked by presenter Piers Morgan how it felt to have a half-sister entering the royal family, she replied: "It's lovely, but I have to say I think what's more important to our family, and certainly to her, is that you find the person that's the best fit for you.

"I don't think it's so much who he is in terms of royalty, as who he is as a man. I can see she's just bubbling. It's so charming and warm.

"When I watch her with him, it's very real and normal. We only get that once in a lifetime if we're lucky. It's not about royalty so much as it is about love and that's wonderful for them."

Ms Grant, a mental health counsellor from Florida, also discussed how their shared father, Thomas Markle, reacted to news of the engagement, saying: "He's excited and very proud and naturally, as you can imagine, very happy. Because doesn't every father want his daughter's happiness?"

"I can say that he is elated, as we all are."

Ms Grant has also said that her relationship with her half-sister has been a "whirlwind" after comments she made about Ms Markle were "taken out of context".

She said a book she is writing about her family life - The Diary Of Princess Pushy's Sister - is not a "slamming tell all" about Prince Harry's new fiancee, and is "important historically".

In comments reported by celebrity magazine US Weekly, she said: "It's been such a whirlwind with us and I'm sad she believed some of the other interviews I did where words I never said were taken out of context, so it's been a bit [of time] since we've spoken.

"Everyone assumes my book is a slamming tell all, which it is not, now it can be egg in their faces and everyone can say what they think, my book is not a slam piece and it is important historically."