Robin Patrick of Maryland wants Meghan Markle to pay her $10 million in punitive damages, plus at least $75,000 in compensatory damages, claiming that a salt bath recipe shared by the former Duchess turned reality star caused her severe burns and ongoing pain. Patrick has not yet filed a formal lawsuit against Markle. Instead, on May 7, she has issued a legal threat, demanding the settlement.
The Drama Behind The Show
The incident stems from a recipe Markle featured on her Netflix show, “With Love, Meghan,” which Patrick followed. Experts have warned that the mixture of Epsom salt, Himalayan salt, arnica oil, and lavender oil could cause discomfort, but Patrick claims her reaction was far worse — blister-like sores and ulcers, with some injuries potentially leading to permanent scarring.
Patrick, who is diabetic, described immediate burning pain upon entering the tub and while attempting to shower. The lawsuit alleges that Markle’s recipe, made public through X, led to serious harm, resulting in the ongoing physical and emotional suffering Patrick now faces.
Patrick described what happened to RadarOnline:
“As the water level rose to cover my legs and reached my buttocks, I began to feel burning and significant discomfort in those areas. I immediately exited the tub, stopped the water, and later stirred the bathwater with my right hand and arm to assess the mixture,” Patrick told the outlet. “This resulted in additional burning sensations on my hand and arm. After draining the tub, I applied Gold Bond lotion, which provided no relief followed by lidocaine sprays which temporarily alleviated the pain. That evening, while showering, I experienced intense burning as water contacted the affected areas, which had developed into ulcers.”
One of the experts who warned against Markle’s saltwater bath is esthetician Jennifer Christopherson, as reported by Us Magazine, linking a two-month-old video of the YouTuber and licensed esthetician of two decades, focusing on the “cringe-inducing” recipe.
”The way she’s making it in this episode is the entirely wrong way to go about it. She is making it in a way that could be potentially highly irritating to someone if they used it—what she made—and soaked in it,“ Christopherson charged.
According to the esthetician, the two full doses of arnica oil mixed with the dry ingredients is at fault, saying the essential oils are volatile plant compounds; Plants produces a natural substance as a defense mechanism that can triggered harmful effects to users.
Christopherson cautions people from applying arnica oil directly on their skin, saying products that use arnica oil have agents that fight against the volatile plant compounds. Markle’s salt bath recipe did not.
Markle’s lawyer, Cameron Stracher, responded to the lawsuit by saying Patrick’s diabetes was a significant factor in her breakout and that she ought to have considered the risks of subjecting herself to so many ingredients.
“Even assuming a negligence claim could be asserted, your letter fails to identify any legal basis to support such a claim, and in fact concedes that the proximate cause of your injuries was your health conditions, including diabetes,” Stracher said in a response, Radar posted.
“It was not foreseeable that you would disregard the instructions on the Epsom salt packaging in attempting to make and use your own bath salts.”
