'The royals would be lucky to have her!' Friends and family of Prince Harry's new actress girlfriend Meghan Markle rush to her defence after half-sister claimed she was a pushy 'social climber'

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Family and friends of Prince Harry's new love, divorced actress Meghan Markle, have vehemently rejected accusations that she is a pushy 'social climber' - and say the royal family would be lucky to have her.

The Suits star's half-brother, Thomas Markle, who has the same father as Meghan – also called Thomas Markle – described claims by his sister, Samantha Grant, that Meghan had abandoned her own family in her ambitious quest for fame as simply untrue.

Miss Grant, 51, from Florida, claimed to have helped raise Meghan as a child and said she loved watching his brother, Prince William, on TV — but preferred Harry as she has a 'soft spot for gingers'.

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Family and friends of Prince Harry's new love, divorced actress Meghan Markle, have vehemently rejected accusations that she is a pushy 'social climber'

But she also described Meghan, an actress, lifestyle blogger and humanitarian activist, as 'narcissistic and selfish' and accused her of abandoning her family, including her bankrupt father, during her quest for fame.

'The Royal Family would be appalled by what she's done to her own family. The truth would kill her relationship with Prince Harry, he wouldn't want to date her any more because it puts her in a bad public light,' she said.

Asked by the Daily Mail if his sister is in a relationship with Prince Harry, her brother said 'of course, it's all over internet'.

He added: 'But I'm [most] concerned about what my sister [Samantha Markle] has been saying. The one thing that she's saying about Meghan ditching everybody in the family is not true.

Meghan's half-sister, Samantha Grant (pictured), accused the star of failing to support her family

Meghan (pictured at High School) had always wanted to be a princess, according to her sister

When asked if whether Meghan is in a relationship with Prince Harry, her brother said 'of course, it's all over internet'

'Meghan didn't turn her back on everybody in the family, and it's not her responsibility to take care of everyone, she's worked very hard to get where she's at.'

Mr Markle, who along with his sister, Sam, was born to Meghan's father by a previous relationship, said of their extended family: 'We've all lived our own separate lives for many, many years. It's just not right for her [Samantha] to say that. We've all been living in different states for 20 odd years or longer.

'I don't think Yvonne [Samantha's real name] has ever had a real relationship with Meghan at all, so she can't get away with saying the things she's saying.

'Meghan lives her own life and has worked very hard to get to where she's at. And my father has done nothing but support my sisters and helped me out in the past.

'I don't think Meghan would turn her back on her family even if something drastic happened. She has got her own life. She is not selfish, she's just living happily across the country.

'She's done quite a bit of humanitarian work. I know she worked for the UN for a while and she has always done a lot of community things.

Meghan's friends and family said the Royal family would be lucky to have the actress

Meghan posted a picture of herself with her father on Instagram with the caption #throwbackthursday

Yearbook photographs of the actress as a teenager at the all-girl Catholic school Immaculate Heart High School, have also emerged including one which described her as a 'classy lady'

Meghan shared this throwback picture with of herself with her mother during her graduation

'I don't think the royal family will have a problem with Meghan or her family. The only one they might have a problem with is somebody saying bad things about her.'

He added: 'I haven't had much to say to my sister [Samantha] for many, many years, she's not the most pleasant person deal with but I still love her, she's still my sister.'

A friend of the actress also rejected the claims saying : 'The British royal family would be lucky to have her!'

Yearbook photographs of the actress as a teenager at the all-girl Catholic school Immaculate Heart High School in Los Angeles, where notable alumnae include actress Mary Tyler Moore and model Tyra Banks, have also emerged including one which described her as a 'classy lady'.

Another was inscribed with the saying by Eleanor Roosevelt: 'Women are like tea bags, they don't know how strong they are until they're in hot water'

'Meghan was really charismatic and was a very hard worker and very focused and you could tell she was going to do something special with her life,' said one school friend.'

'She was bubbly, optimistic and positive. She was also very focused and had her eye on the prize – she knew where she wanted to go to college and she knew she wanted to do drama.'

The mutual friend believed to have introduced Harry and Meghan is US-based fashion designed Misha Nonoo.

Misha, married to but reportedly separated from Old Etonian Alexander Gilkes, is one of Meghan's closest pals and confidantes and holidayed with her in the summer.

Alexander was a guest at William and Kate's wedding and his younger brother, club owner Charlie, is a former flame of Pippa Middleton.

Princess Eugenie worked for his online auction company in New York and may also have been involved the introductions - meaning she could have fixed Harry up with both his current and previous girlfriends.