Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will be marking their sixth wedding anniversary this weekend, but there's one person who won't be attending the celebrations - Meghan's father.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex tied the knot on May 19, 2018 in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. They were surrounded by family and friends as they said 'I do', but Thomas Markle Snr was nowhere to be seen on the big day.
Thomas was originally confirmed as attending the wedding, with Kensington Palace saying he would be walking his daughter down the aisle. However, things took a turn for the worse when Thomas became embroiled in a paparazzi scandal.
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There was a time when Meghan Markle was close to her dad (INSTAGRAM)Thomas was caught staging paparazzi snaps of himself as he prepared for the wedding in exchange for payment. He then made the shocking announcement that he would not be attending Meghan and Harry's wedding after the fallout from the drama left him looking "stupid and hammy".
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However, the Palace issued a different statement. They said the real reason for Thomas not attending his daughter's wedding was due to health issues after he was reported to have had a heart attack.
A statement from Meghan distributed by the Palace said: "Sadly, my father will not be attending our wedding. I have always cared for my father and hope he can be given the space he needs to focus on his health."
Meghan has grown estranged from her father over the years and the last time they spoke was when he was in a hospital bed before her wedding. Meghan opened up about their broken relationship during her bombshell 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey. "I grieve a lot," she said.
The Duchess of Sussex was walked down the aisle by King Charles (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)She added: "I mean, I've lost my father. I lost a baby. I nearly lost my name. I mean, there’s the loss of identity. But I’m still standing, and my hope for people in the takeaway from this is to know that there’s another side.
"For over a year, the UK tabloids were trying to find my dad, offering people so much money to try to find his address. Once they did, I remember being told there was a huge headline like, ‘We Found Him!’ or ‘We Got Him!’. The whole thing brings us to where we are today."
Thomas has made various attempts to reach out to his estranged daughter in TV interviews. During an appearance on Good Morning Britain last September, he begged Meghan to let him see his grandchildren, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
He added: "I've always been here for her, I love her, I'll love her forever. I want her to reach out to me and let me see my grandkids and let me have a little peace. It's been five years."
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