Meghan Markle and her estranged father Thomas Markle have "unresolved issues", with one relationship expert suggesting their relationship "could very well be beyond repair".
The Duchess of Sussex had a close relationship with her dad growing up, but the pair haven't seen each other since before her wedding to Prince Harry. Over the years, Thomas has made public pleas to his daughter to reconcile and has said he is "desperate" for Meghan to forgive him.
Thomas recently weighed in on the royal race row which was sparked by Omid Scobie's new book Endgame, and he described the current silence from Harry and Meghan as "unusual". An "error" in the Dutch translation of the book saw the Princess of Wales Kate Middleton and King Charles named as the two royals who allegedly raised "concerns" about the skin colour of Harry and Meghan's son.
READ MORE: Meghan Markle spotted in secret signal to King Charles as she wears very meaningful gift
Speaking exclusively to The Mirror, relationship expert Louella Alderson has shared her thoughts on Thomas' new comments and what it means for his relationship with Meghan. She suggested the pair are unlikely to be close ever again.
Meghan Markle 'to unleash her own memoirs' as Prince Harry's drops next week"Thomas Markle has spoken out about his estranged daughter on multiple occasions since the start of her relationship with Prince Harry, and he continues to do so, even after being cut off from communication with Meghan. This shows that there are still unresolved issues between them, and it's unlikely they will be able to mend their relationship anytime soon if Thomas Markle keeps sharing private information," Louella said.
She added: "Their relationship could very well be beyond repair at this point, as there have been multiple instances of betrayal and hurt between them." However, the expert said Meghan and Thomas' relationship could take an "unexpected turn".
She explained: "It's possible for relationships to mend and heal over time, but ultimately, it will depend on both parties being willing to put in effort and work towards reconciliation. It would take a lot of forgiveness and understanding from Meghan to repair her relationship with her father, and it's unclear if she is ready or willing to do so at this point."
Louella suggested their relationship could repair itself after Meghan spoke out about her time living in the Royal Family. In the Sussexes Netflix docuseries, they made a number of bombshell allegations about their time in The Firm.
The relationship expert told us: "Harry and Meghan appear to be doing to the Royal Family what Thomas Markle has been doing to them – speaking out to the media and sharing private information and personal conversations. If Meghan took some time to self-reflect and consider how her actions might be perceived as similar to her father's, it could potentially lead to a breakthrough in their relationship."
Louella's advice did come with a warning. She said: "If Thomas continues to publicly speak out against his daughter without any remorse or understanding of how his actions may have hurt her, then it's unlikely their relationship will be repaired."
Louella Alderson is a relationship expert and co-founder of the So Syncd dating app.