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New York Post
Meghan Markle’s estranged dad, Thomas, desperately pleads to meet his grandkids before 80th birthday
By Nika Shakhnazarova,
8 days ago
Meghan Markle’s estranged father, Thomas Markle Sr., has issued a desperate plea to meet his grandchildren ahead of his 80th birthday.
Thomas begged to meet the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s two children ahead of his July 18 birthday.
“I’ve never been one for birthdays, but I know the one person I most want to hear from, Meghan, won’t be in touch,” he told the Daily Mail .
“I would love to meet my grandchildren, but I would be happy with a photograph at this stage.”
Meghan’s relationship with her father became strained in 2018 shortly before her wedding to Prince Harry, and has only continued to sour after the Hollywood director suffered a stroke in 2022.
Thomas has yet to meet Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3.
“They have two grandpas who want to see them, one of whom is the King of England,” he said. “I never in my 80 years thought I’d be in the same boat as the king.”
The “Suits” alum’s father, 79, also took a dig at Harry, asking why he’s never made an effort to meet him despite having “the resources to fly around the world.”
“What man gets married without meeting his wife’s father?” he asked.
The former photography director explained that Archie and Lilibet are “getting to the age where they will start asking questions,” so he feels it is only a matter of time until they “realize all the things they have missed out on” due to the Sussexes quitting royal life.
Meghan remains estranged from her father’s side of her family following her falling out with her dad.
Thomas was set to walk his daughter down the aisle at her 2018 royal wedding before he was busted secretly collaborating with paparazzi to stage photos that showed him being measured for a suit.
He later underwent heart surgery saying the stress of the situation caused cardiac issues.
The duo’s relationship deteriorated further after Meghan later accused her dad of leaking a private letter she had written to him after the wedding.
She spoke of her heartache at the alleged betrayal in her and Harry’s tell-all Netflix docuseries, “Harry & Meghan.”
While the couple lobbed several criticisms at the royal family, they also didn’t hold back when it came to Meghan’s relatives, particularly her father.
Describing herself as a “daddy’s girl” growing up, Meghan — who split her time between her father and her mother, Doria Ragland, who divorced when she was 6 — remembered feeling “lonely” as a child and wanting “more people around.”
Harry also chimed in on his wife’s relationship with her father.
“If Meg wasn’t with me, then her dad would still be her dad,” the father of two lamented in the series. “She had a father before this, and now she doesn’t have a father. And I shouldered that.”
The Post has reached out to reps for the Sussexes for comment.
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