The royal wedding of former Suits actress Meghan Markle and the dashing Prince Harry was the social event of the year, and it feels like we're still gushing over all the picturesque glamour of the fairytale ceremony. But there was one cloud that hung over the gorgeous summer day, seeming to darken the whole event and cast a gloom over proceedings: the blushing bride's father, former TV lighting director Thomas Markle.
First of all, there was considerable media speculation prior to the wedding as to whether or not Thomas Markle would be fit to walk his daughter down the aisle. As it transpired, Markle was recovering from heart surgery, and thus was too unwell to perform his paternal duty, leaving Prince Charles to fill his shoes.
Things then took a turn for the worse when it was revealed that Markle had also staged photographs for the paparazzi, and been paid a hefty fee for doing so. In the wake of the controversy, his elder daughter Samantha (Meghan's half-sister) defended him, claiming that it was her idea and that her father wanted "to show the world that [he's] getting in shape and doing great healthy things."
Now, Markle has given his first public interview since the scandal, after making an appearance on the talk show Good Morning Britain. Thomas stated that Meghan had cried when she learned that he was too sick to walk her down the aisle during the ceremony and that he now feels jealous of Prince Charles. Markle stated: "The unfortunate thing now is that I’m a footnote in one of the greatest moments in history – instead of a dad walking his daughter down the aisle."
He went on to discuss the moment when Prince Harry asked his permission to marry Meghan, to which he allegedly replied: "Promise me you’ll never raise your hand against my daughter. And of course I give you my permission." He also added that Meghan is keen to have children of her own, stating: "She’s wanted children for a long time and when she met Harry and she spoke about how much she loves him – there’s got to be a child in the making somewhere soon."
But now a source close to Markle has told British newspaper The Sun that the 73-year-old apparently fears he's being "frozen out", stating: "There has been nothing from the palaces, which he is surprised about. He just hopes the interview hasn’t affected things... He wanted to discuss travelling to the UK, or the couple visiting him. He still hasn’t met Harry, and is desperate for it to happen." Markle is is also said to be upset he didn’t get a Father’s Day card from his daughter.
Although Thomas was paid for the TV interview, he stated that he hoped it would go some way towards repairing his tarnished reputation. Perhaps he hasn't been the best father of all time, but maybe the media should lay off him for a while. After all, no family is perfect: not even the House of Windsor.
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