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Meghan Markle has “ghosted” her father, according to Thomas Markle himself.
Appearing via satellite in San Diego, Calif., her 74-year-old father got up at an ungodly hour to make a public plea on ITV’s Good Morning Britain in the hopes she will end their estrangement.
Speaking to Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid, Thomas acknowledged nothing has changed between him and Meghan since he last spoke to them a month after the royal wedding. “I’m disappointed by it. I’m not sure why it’s happening. I’ve been trying to reach out for several weeks,” Thomas told the co-hosts. “Every day I text her, but I haven’t received anything back.”
Thomas, who said he’s also sent letters to Meghan, added he still has not met Prince Harry, either. He also said he hasn’t received a holiday card from the couple. “I would appreciate a card or a phone call, or just some sign that she knows I’m here,” he said. “She knows I love her.”
Should Meghan watch the heavily publicized 18-minute interview on Good Morning Britain, Thomas wanted to send her a message. Looking directly into the camera, he said, “I love you very much. You’re my daughter and I’d really like to hear from you. Whatever differences we have, we should be able to work them out. We’re family. So, please reach out to me.” Thomas added he wouldn’t mind Queen Elizabeth II acting as a mediator, either. “I would appreciate anything she can do, and I would think she would want to resolve the family problems,” he argued. “All families, royal or otherwise, are the same and should be together at the holidays.”
Piers argued that since Meghan became engaged to Harry in late 2017, she has “jettisoned people who are no longer important to her.” That didn’t sit well with Thomas, who defended her reputation. “That’s really not a character trait of hers. She’s always been very polite and a very good, and uh, uh, uh…She’s always been very polite to everyone. She’s never been rude to anyone. I don’t really know what’s happening right now. I know we had differences at the beginning, some question about my heart attack and so forth. The unfortunate thing about my daughter and Harry is that they believe what they read in the papers. For the first year, they were telling me, ‘Never believe those things.’ But now they [think] I’m saying things I’m not saying,” he said. “I think that might be one of the problems, but…I don’t have the answer yet.”
Piers later tweeted Thomas “received no payment for today’s interview,” fully aware that the retired lighting designer has a history of being compensated for interviews and photo-ops. Regarding that particular pre-wedding scandal, a defiant Thomas said, “I’ve apologized a hundred times for that. I don’t feel that’s worthy of being shunned or ghosted. That is ridiculous.” As for why he’s still being iced out, he theorized, “The only thing I can actually think of is that they’re reading all of the things in the trades and the tabloids that people are saying I’m saying. I’ve only done five interviews, and out of those interviews, hundreds of other people come, and they get a story and they give a story, and they say I’ve said these things. I haven’t said so many things. But they’re believing it. Apparently, that’s why I’m being shunned or ghosted.” While he couldn’t remember “a particular quote,” he argued it happens almost daily.
“We talked about this last week. It was a matter of, ‘Why does continue to keep talking? If he just shut up, they would talk to [him].’ Well, I’ve been quiet for six months, and no one has returned anything back to me,” Thomas said. “No one’s said a word to me. I’m confused by it.”
Thomas hopes this will be the last time he ever has to reach out to Meghan through the media. “I’m hopeful that soon something will be resolved and we’ll be talking. This can’t continue forever. People are saying I should be quiet about this and not speak—that if I don’t speak, they will speak to me. That hasn’t happened. I don’t plan to be silent for the rest of my life. I love my daughter very much. She has to know that,” Thomas said. “And I would really appreciate it if she would just call me, reach out somehow to me, just send me a text, just say you’re there…”
With the Duke and Duchess of Sussex expecting a baby in 2019, Thomas said he hopes to be involved in his grandchild’s life. “I’m certainly hoping everything goes well and they produce a beautiful baby. I’m certainly hoping I’ll get to see a little Meghan or a little Harry. That would be very nice,” he said. “I look forward to that happening. I’m hopeful. I think it should happen. I think she’ll make a great mom, and maybe things will soften a little bit and we’ll connect again.”
Thomas has no intention of giving up on Meghan, either. “There has to be a place for me. I’m her father and I will be the grandfather to her children. All I can say is that I’m here. She knows it. I’ve reached out to her—and I need her to reach back to me,” he said. “I love her very much.”
He also dismissed rumors of a rift between Meghan and Kate Middleton, saying, “I don’t believe them. I think they’re gossip…Meghan’s always been a very polite girl. She has never been rude to anyone to my knowledge. She was raised on Hollywood stages and learned to respect the crew and learned to respect everyone. I just can’t see her being rude to anybody.” Piers noted he’s accused Meghan of “social climbing,” which her father also dismissed. “She’s always been a very controlling person—that’s part of her nature—but she’s never been rude, to my knowledge. The ghosting I don’t completely understand. But to my knowledge, like I said, she’s always been in charge. That’s her nature,” he maintained. “But she’s always been polite.”
Optimistically, Thomas said, Meghan will “come around” in time. “She’s been through a lot. Adjusting to what she’s been doing and so forth is not an easy task, but she’s doing quite well and coming along with it. I think she’ll reach out in time—and I’m hoping she knows I’m here.”
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