Thomas Markle 'completely gives up hope' of reuniting with Meghan and Harry

1 August 2020, 23:28

The Duchess of Sussex's father has "completely" given up hope of reuniting with his daughter, her half-brother has claimed.

Thomas Markle has not seen Meghan since before her marriage, despite repeated public pleas for her to forgive him for posing for paparazzi pictures in the run up to the wedding.

Thomas Markle Jnr, who still has a relationship with their father, told the Mirror: “As far as a reunion goes, he’s given up on Meghan and Harry completely.

“He doesn’t trust her and doesn’t want to know that person because of the lies, manipulation and deceit. He just had his 76th birthday – needless to say, he didn’t hear from Meghan.”

Mr Markle has yet to meet his grandson, 14-month-old Archie, but Thomas Jr suggested he may launch a court battle to see him, saying: "He will fight and pursue the avenues needed to see Archie. They’re not the only ones who can launch a court case. He’d love to hold that little boy one time.”

Meghan has previously said she and her father were close as she grew up, but despite there being initial plans for him to walk Meghan down the aisle during her 2018 nuptials to Prince Harry, he was forced to cancel and watch on from Mexico after suffering from heart issues.

The pair were further drove apart after a "private and confidential" letter she wrote to her father was published in the Mail on Sunday.

Meghan and Harry have since broken from the Royal family, and now live in Los Angeles close to her mother Doria Ragland.

The Duchess is currently in the midst of a High Court battle against the publishers of the Mail on Sunday and the MailOnline over an article which included parts of a message she sent to her father.

Read more: Meghan's father accuses Sussexes of 'whining' during the pandemic

Read more: Letter at centre of legal battle contained Meghan's 'most private thoughts and feelings'

In court documents outlining her claim against the Associated Newspapers, her solicitors say the letter was "obviously private correspondence" and she did not expect the contents to be made public.

Quotes from the letter which was sent to Mr Markle in August 2018, were published in the Mail on Sunday and on the MailOnline in February.

The headline read: "Revealed: The letter showing true tragedy of Meghan's rift with a father she says has 'broken her heart into a million pieces'."

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In one extract, the duchess wrote: "Your actions have broken my heart into a million pieces - not simply because you have manufactured such unnecessary and unwarranted pain, but by making the choice to not tell the truth as you are puppeteered in this. Something I will never understand."

Particulars of claim, prepared by Schillings law firm, on behalf of the duchess, say: "The letter was obviously private correspondence written by the claimant to her father.

"Further, it contained the claimant's deepest and most private thoughts and feelings about her relationship with her father and were detailed by her at a time of great personal anguish and distress.

"The claimant intended the detailed contents of the letter to be private, and certainly did not expect them to be published to the world at large by a national newspaper, and without any warning."

Associated Newspapers wholly denies the allegations, particularly the duchess's claim that the letter was edited in any way that changed its meaning, and says it will hotly contest the case.