Meghan Markle’s father, Thomas Markle Sr., has been a hot topic since his relationship with his daughter has been sour in the lead-up to her daughter’s marriage to Prince Harry in 2018. So, who’s Thomas?
Thomas is known for being a former Hollywood lighting designer. But he has become more famous after backing out from Meghan’s royal wedding with Prince Harry and allegedly staging photos for paparazzi.
The Early Life of Thomas Markle Sr.
In an essay for Elle UK in 2016, the former actress revealed her father was a lighting director for a soap opera when he met her mom, Doria Ragland, a temp at the studio, in the late 1970s.
The senior Markle has worked on iconic TV shows like Married… with Children and General Hospital. He even has an Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Direction for a Drama Series.
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Sadly, her parents ended up parting ways when she was only two, but they were both supportive of her.
She was even a daddy’s girl, and in a Father’s Day greeting in 2016, Meghan described her dad as a loving and protective caretaker.
Thomas also helped her do lighting for her school plays, and she grew up “with him a lot.”
Thomas Markle Sr.’s Two Other Children
Aside from Meghan, Thomas also has two other kids from a previous marriage, Samantha Markle and Thomas Markle Jr.
Samantha has been making claims against the former Suits star and Prince Harry, while Thomas Jr. accuses her half-sister of “acting phony” and “trying” to make herself the “new Princess Diana.”
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Thomas Markle Sr.’s Retirement and the Start of the Fallout
Thomas officially retired from Hollywood in 2011 and moved to Rosarito Beach, Mexico.
Thomas Jr. told Daily Mail in 2017 that his father started to be reclusive after the announcement of Prince Harry and Meghan’s engagement, adding he “never liked the limelight.”
“He hates the attention Meghan's romance has brought on to him. He loves her but hates the idea of being in the spotlight,” he revealed.
Allegedly, Thomas lives in a cliff-top house overlooking the Pacific Ocean—about 15 minutes away from the Mexican/U.S. border.
Thomas Markle Sr. and Meghan Markle’s Relationship
Since the lead-up to Meghan and Prince Harry’s royal wedding, her relationship with her dad has suffered so much.
Thomas has given several interviews to the media, talking about his daughter’s life. He will also attack the royal family.
He even claims Meghan and her in-laws have put him on the sideline, begging her to reach out.
"If I had one message for her it would be that I'm sorry for anything that went wrong. I'd like to put our differences behind us and get together," he said in a July 2018 interview withThe Sun. "If I had a message for Harry, it's 'get over it.' I'm your new father-in-law."
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