Thomas Markle interview – Meghan’s dad says he ‘doesn’t know who she is now’ as he reveals never-before-see home movies
THOMAS Markle says he doesn’t know who his daughter Meghan is now and admits that he “doesn’t exist” to her and husband Harry.
Former Hollywood lighting director Thomas has been estranged from Meghan since her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018 – and he said he does not expect that to change.
In a tell-all Channel 5 documentary, the 75-year-old, who lives in Rosarito, Mexico, said: “To them I don’t exist.
“Harry is part of my family – we should be talking.
“Meghan was my most important relationship and my pride and joy.
“I miss Meghan . I miss who she was. I don’t know she is now. That’s the problem.”
In the doc – titled Thomas Markle: My Story – the father of three reveals never-before-seen home movie footage featuring Meghan from the ages of 11 and 16.
The video clips were filmed during a period when the Duchess of Sussex lived with her father – a period Thomas calls “my happiest years.”
During footage of the Suits actress performing in a school play, Thomas says: “I knew from the day she was born that she was going to be doing that. It didn’t become a surprise or a shock to me.”
The 75-year-old claims he took an active role in his daughter’s acting interest, helping create better lighting for the plays.
I miss Meghan . I miss who she was. I don’t know she is now. That’s the problem.
Thomas Markle
Speaking about his influence on his Meg during these years, he said: “I have her a sense of pride. I gave her a sense of duty and work.”
He slammed her “picky” claims that she supported him while insisting that he is “comfortable” living off a $5,600-per-month retirement fund in Mexico.
Thomas does admit that Meghan, who he says became a multi-millionaire while working on Suits earning $40,000 per episode, once gave him $5,000 as a Christmas present.
He continues: “I’ve only ever asked her for a couple of grand.
“(before she was successful) I paid for her college. I paid for her credit cards. I paid for her apartments…”
The twice-married retiree also criticised the couple for not supporting him in the run-up to their high profile wedding
He said: “Meghan and Harry said ‘we’ll protect you from this’.
“But their protection was to tell me ‘don’t talk to anyone’.
The royal family never sent anyone here to give me advice. They never sent anyone for me
Thomas Markle
“The royal family never sent anyone here to give me advice. They never sent anyone for me.
“No one gave me any attention. Not that I need the attention but I might need the help.”
The 75-year-old spoke about the infamous paparazzi which he posed for and sold worldwide.
He claims he was approached by a man claiming to be a PR expert who pitched the scheme improve Thomas’ image.
Meg’s dad said he had a feeling that the pictures would be “hokey” but the man assured him he knew what he was doing.
He said: “He told me ‘they are going to love it and they are going to love you.’
“I didn’t do it for money. I did it to change my image.”
He admits he is still making money off the images, adding: “The reality is that those images will sell forever.”
Thomas confessed that he lied to Harry on the phone about posing for the pictures. “I’m not proud of that, but I did,” he said.
This comes as Harry was reunited with Meghan and son Archie in Canada after their bombshell decision to step back from royal duties.
On Saturday the Queen confirmed that from the spring they will relinquish their HRH titles as they seek “a more independent life” in North America.
Following that Thomas, 75, accused the couple of cheapening the institution of royalty, saying: “They are turning it into Walmart with a crown on.”
He added: “Every young girl wants to become a princess. She got that and now she’s tossing it away.
“It looks like she’s tossing that away for money.”
In a Channel 5 documentary, airing tomorrow night, Thomas spoke about his dramatic fall out with Meghan.
He has never met Prince Harry or his grandson, Archie.
He told the broadcaster: “I want everyone to know that I’m not all the trashy things that are being said about me.
“I want Harry and Meghan to see this and know that this is not fair.”
Discussing the first time he heard his daughter was dating the sixth in line to the throne, he said: “She calls me on the phone and she said I’ve got a new boyfriend and I said ‘Great’ and she says ‘He’s British’. I said “OK”, she said ‘He’s a prince’ I said ‘Alright’ she said ‘He’s Prince Harry’.
“I said ‘Oh, OK’. I didn’t know what it meant. She could have been dating a Hollywood star and it would have been just as important to me, because you know either way they are both ‘high numbers’.”
He later found out his daughter was pregnant – when he heard the news on the radio.
Thomas recalled: “I was sitting in my car waiting to cross the border and I heard the good news from the royals is that Meghan is pregnant. Which is almost a joke when you tell people, well you heard it on the radio.
“This is my daughter, talking about my grandchild. She’s going to have a grandchild that’s mine. I’m not hearing about it on the phone, I’m hearing about it on the radio.”
Thomas was then unable to attend his daughter’s wedding ceremony due to ill health. Prince Charles agreed to walk his future daughter-in-law down the aisle in his place.
In a direct message to Meghan and Harry, he said: “I apologise to you. I want to apologise to the queen and to the royal family. I want to do that and I was told by them, ‘don’t’. And I was scheduled to go to the airport and go fly to England because they still wanted me to come to the wedding and be at the wedding.
“And at that time I got a massive heart attack and was then taken to the Sharp hospital, across the border.”
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Buckingham Palace confirmed on Saturday that Harry and Meghan would no longer be working members of the royal family.
Responding to that, Thomas accused the couple of “destroying” one of the “greatest long-living institutions ever” and “cheapening it”.
He said: “They couldn’t have done anything worse to harm the Queen – probably the most loved and respected woman in the world.”
He added: “I can’t see her reaching out to me, especially now – or Harry for that matter.
“But I think both of them are turning into lost souls at this point. I don’t know what they’re looking for. I don’t think they know what they are looking for.”
Shot over six days in his Mexico home, Channel 5 filmed Thomas during October last year.
Thomas Markle: My Story airs tomorrow night at 9pm.
