Meghan Markle's father dismisses suggestion that Royals or British people are racist
9 March 2021, 10:06 | Updated: 10 March 2021, 05:11
Thomas Markle has dismissed suggestions that the Royal Family or British people are racist following Harry and his daughter Meghan's Oprah interview.
Meghan's father was responding to a claim made by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex that there was "concern" by one royal over the colour of their son Archie's skin before he was born.
The allegation led to some on social media and other commentators on the matter to accuse the Royal Family and parts of the British public of being racist.
Asked for his reaction to such suggestions, Mr Markle said: "I have great respect for the royals and I don't think the British Royal Family are racist at all.
"I don't think the British are racist."
The 76-year-old added that he hoped when someone allegedly asked about how dark Harry and Meghan's baby's skin tone might be that it was "just a dumb question" rather than an act of racism.
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He said: "I'm guessing and hoping it's just a dumb question from somebody.
"It could just be that simple, it could be somebody asked a stupid question, rather than being a total racist."
Mr Markle also said he was "disappointed" after seeing his daughter's interview with American talk show host Oprah Winfrey.
Meghan has not spoken to her father since her wedding to Harry, whom he has never met, but Winfrey did not question the duchess about their relationship in the broadcast.
In clips released later, Meghan said she found it difficult to discuss his actions, adding: "I genuinely can't imagine doing anything to intentionally cause pain to my child."
Read more: Meghan tells Oprah: 'I just didn't want to be alive anymore'
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Asked about the interview, her father told Good Morning Britain: "I'm very disappointed about it. I've apologised about this thing, what happened, at least 100 times or so.
"The bottom line is I've never heard back from Meghan or Harry in any way shape or form.
"When they say that I'm taking advantage of the press well basically what I do, because I haven't heard from them is I'll do a story for the press.
"If I don't hear from them in 30 days then I'll do another story for the press."
He added: "When they decide to talk to me I'll stop talking to the press."
'The Royal Family failed to seize an opportunity with Harry and Meghan'
The duchess' father also told of his regret at staging paparazzi photographs ahead of Meghan and Harry's wedding.
"I wish I hadn't done the whole thing," he said.
"But here's the other side of the coin. No one took any time to protect any member of our family. We were attacked by the press every day."
He continued: "Nobody was there to care for us, nobody looked after us."
Mr Markle added: "No one helped us. Then I saw a headline saying they recommended... to Harry and Meghan that someone come and help me, someone come and take care of me and Meghan and Harry denied that and said, 'don't do it,' so I was left out to dry.
"And in spite of all that, I still apologised, I'm apologising today again... I also said we all make mistakes... but I've never played naked pool and I've never dressed up like Hitler."
