Thomas Markle claims he tried to 'protect' her by choosing not to release some parts of the letter she wrote to him because they were so cruel and hateful.
- May 1, 2023
AceShowbiz - Meghan Markle's dad has labeled her letter he infamously leaked "horrible, insulting and cruel." Thomas Markle, 78, who has been distanced from the Duchess of Sussex, 41, since her marriage to Prince Harry, 38, in 2018, sent an edited version of the five-page message from her to the Daily Mail in 2019 - which led to her getting £1 in damages after she and Harry sued the publication for invasion of privacy.
"The Queen never read this letter because... it was a horrible letter. Very insulting and cruel," he told 7NEWS Spotlight in an interview alongside Meghan's estranged brother and sister, Thomas Jr. and Samantha, about the 1,250-word note.
He added there was more in the letter he chose not to release because it was so "hateful and cruel." Thomas said, "The other things in that letter are so hateful and so cruel, that I wouldn't put it out. That's to protect her."
Meghan told in the fifth episode of her "Harry & Meghan" Netflix docuseries she had gone to the Queen for advice over her dad's interviews about her, and it had been decided by the late monarch and the then-Prince Charles she should write him a letter.
She said her dad speaking out had become "very embarrassing for the family" and "a problem that needed to be solved" and claimed the royals "wanted me to make it stop."
Meghan added, "And of course, I reached out to Her Majesty and was like, 'This is what's going on. What do you want me to do? I want . . . whatever advice you have.' " She then said, "But ultimately, it was suggested by the queen and the Prince of Wales (now King Charles) that I write my dad a letter."
Thomas told the Mail at the time he released parts of the letter - which accused him of exploiting Meghan's relationship with Harry - it felt like a "dagger to the heart" that left him "devastated." He said, "This is not the girl I know. It's not the way she talks. This letter is cold. When she signs off it's 'Meg.' You read the way it ends and it felt like a final farewell to me."
Thomas and Meghan's relationship fell apart after he reportedly arranged a set of paparazzi pictures ahead of her wedding to Harry, and his interview comes less than a week before the prince is due to travel to Britain for King Charles' coronation.
Meghan, who also has 22-month-old daughter Lilibet with Harry, will be staying at their mansion in California as the May 6 event clashes with their son Archie's fourth birthday.
The Markle family's 7NEWS Spotlight chat also included their release of unseen childhood videos and photos of Meghan while she was growing up in Los Angeles, such as never-before-seen footage of the star as her high school's homecoming queen, at dance lessons and enjoying weekends by a lake.
