Meghan Markle’s relationship with dad she hasn’t spoke to for 7 years as he fights for all times
Thomas Markle, 81, has not spoke to Meghan for years after a fall-out and was said to be fighting for his life in hospital after being taken gravely ill at home on Tuesday
Meghan Markle’s half-brother pleaded with her to “show some compassion” after their father was left fighting for his life in hospital. Thomas Markle Sr, 81, was said to have taken gravely ill at home on Tuesday and rushed to hospital.
He was said to be in intensive care and facing a second procedure to remove a blood clot, his son Thomas Jr said. He said on Wednesday night: “My only wish is that Meghan shows my father some compassion. He is literally fighting for his life.”
Wedding rows
The trouble between the father and daughter started during the build-up to Prince Harry and Meghan’s wedding. As the couple prepared to tie the knot under a glaring spotlight, Thomas posed for papparazzi photographs, getting his suit for the big day fitted.
The paid shots quickly became a point of controversy and were said to be part of the reason he didn’t show up for Meghan’s big day – along with the serious health issues Thomas was struggling with – leaving King Charles to walk her half way down the aisle instead.
But a royal insider previously revealed there was one major reason why Thomas did not travel from his then-home in Mexico to Windsor to watch his daughter get married.
Royal expert Sally Bedell Smith reported earlier this year that Lady Elizabeth Anson – the late Queen’s cousin and close friend – said Thomas’s stayed away from the royal wedding because he was “frightened”.
Lady Elizabeth claimed that plans had been in motion for Thomas to attend, with an accessibility plan for St George’s Chapel already in place to help accommodate him. But he was simply “frightened of coming to the wedding” in the end, Lady Elizabeth claimed.
Paparazzi pain
Meghan has revealed since the big day and the couple’s royal exit two years later, that she found out that her father wouldn’t be at her wedding through the press and found communicating with him directly to be difficult in the build-up to the nuptials.
She was then horrified when her father took part in and was paid for the paparazzi photoshoot, as was her mother Doria Ragland.
Not parenting
In Harry and Meghan’s self-titled Netflix documentary, Doria said she was “absolutely stunned” by her ex’s actions, adding: “As a parent, that’s not what you do. That’s not parenting.”
Thomas Sr, an acclaimed tv lighting director, paid for Meghan’s private education from preschool at Hollywood Little Red Schoolhouse to Northwestern University as well as her living expenses.
But their relationship broke down before Meghan married Harry in 2018 and it has grown more strained since he gave several critical TV interviews about her relationship with the prince, who he has never met.
Press ganged
In June that year, he appeared on Good Morning Britain in which he discussed his personal relationship with Meghan and his son-in-law. Thomas later also criticised the Royal Family, saying his daughter looked terrified in her new role.
And in another interview with The Mail on Sunday in July that year, Thomas Sr said that his daughter “[would] be nothing without me. I made her the Duchess she is today.”
In February 2019, he published excerpts of a letter sent to him by his Meghan shortly after her wedding in which she stated that he had broken her heart “into a million pieces” with his actions. Thomas Sr described the letter as a “a dagger to the heart” rather than an “olive branch”.
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