Meghan Markle's Estranged Dad Thinks He And King Charles Have One Major Thing In Common
It's no secret Meghan Markle's relationship with her father Thomas Markle is tenuous and that's putting it mildly. Remember when he staged pricey paparazzi photos ahead of Meg's wedding? Or when he publicly called out his daughter's "sense of superiority"? Welp, there's yet another noteworthy detail about this infamous estrangement: Thomas created a comparison between his own broken bond and Meghan's supposedly strained dynamic with her stepfather King Charles.
While chatting with Daily Mail in June 2024, Thomas waxed poetic about his milestone 80th birthday on July 18 (of course, he's a water sign!) and made a dig at his daughter in the process. "I've had a good life and I am proud of what I've accomplished, but everything has been overshadowed by what has happened in the last six years," he said, clearly referencing their rift. "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."
That lack of contact is where King Charles comes into play. Thomas explained, "I would love to speak to him because I am sure he has as many unanswered questions as I do. Neither of us deserves the treatment we've received." Perhaps his biggest question is: "Why have [Harry and Meghan] treated not only me but the Royal Family and the King so badly"? Making matters worse, Thomas pointed out he and King Charles both have health struggles, as Charles announced his cancer diagnosis in February. Whether you buy Thomas' sob story or you're loyally Team Meg, grab some popcorn, because the drama doesn't end there.
Meghan's dad called out Prince Harry as well
If you thought Thomas Markle only put his daughter Meghan Markle on blast, think again. In the same Daily Mail convo, Thomas took a jab at Prince Harry for never once putting in an effort to meet him. Essentially, he believes that with Prince Harry's access to transportation, i.e. those ever-controversial private jets, Harry should have gone to see the father of the love of his life.
"When I reflect back on my life, as you do when you are approaching 80, that's one of the questions I cannot find an answer for," Thomas told the outlet, again bringing up his big birthday. "Why didn't Harry ever come to meet me?" Seemingly questioning Harry's masculinity, he added, "What man gets married without meeting his wife's father?"
Sure, it would be a fair question for a father to ask, had there not been such a major falling-out between Meghan and her dad. It makes sense Harry wouldn't be best buds with the man who publicly insulted his wife, right? After all, in 2018, Thomas unfairly took credit for his daughter's success by telling the Mail on Sunday, "She'd be nothing without me." He called Meghan "cold" and expressed disappointment for never being thanked. Following that interview, a source claimed to The Mirror that she was "deeply hurt." In response to her dad's critical commentary in June 2024, sources are claiming Meghan is upset once again.
Thomas Markle says he's a 'pretty good grandpa'
Not only did Thomas Markle express sympathy for King Charles in his aforementioned Daily Mail interview, but he believes his grandkids — Archie and Lilibet — are victims in the situation too. In addition to never meeting their maternal grandfather, Thomas lamented how the kids are spending less time with Prince Harry's relatives. He told the U.K. outlet, "At some stage it's inevitable that they will ask their parents why they have cut them off from both sides of the family?"
Royal watchers will recall that Thomas' commentary about his grandkids is nothing new. Back in 2021, he told 60 Minutes Australia that he's a "pretty good grandpa," if given the chance. Despite the distance (literal and metaphorical), he congratulated the couple on their second child and found an apparent silver lining: "The other thing that makes me happy is there's now a lot more Markle blood in the royal family." Still, even with that strange dose of joy, he told the news station that "there's always disappointment here," while pointing to his heart, as he explained he found out about the birth after the fact.
In that same Australian interview, he shared that he was the first person to hold Meghan when she was born via C-section, claiming, "I fell in love with her and I had been that way for 40 years. I really do miss her." Unfortunately for Thomas, it doesn't seem like this family feud is getting mended any time soon.