Meghan Markle’s half-brother: Duchess should let her father, other family meet her baby
Meghan Markle's half-brother used her baby birth's to press his view that she should make an effort to reconcile with him and other estranged family members.
The birth of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s first child has prompted an outpouring of congratulations from around the world.
It has also brought out the opportunists, or alleged opportunists. Some might say these alleged opportunists include the Duchess of Sussex’s American family members, from whom she is estranged.
Two of these family members, her father Thomas Markle and her older half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr., issued statements in response to news that Meghan had given birth early Monday morning to a 7-pound, 3-ounce son. Markle Jr., 52, continued to advance his view that she turned her back on them when she became rich and famous, first as a TV star on “Suits” and then as a member of the British royal family.
“I’m hoping that becoming a mother will open up her eyes and shed light on what family means,” said Markle Jr., a Grants Pass, Ore., resident in a statement to The Sun. “Maybe she will see the importance of family now — and open up to my dad and let him be part of the baby’s life.”
“Any baby who comes into a family — everyone in the family wants to see it. It’s a big deal,” Markle Jr. continued. “She should let the family come over and meet the new baby. … I think everybody should be invited over to see the new baby. I hope she’ll reach out and make the baby a part of everybody’s life.”
So, maybe Markle Jr. hopes that Meghan and Harry will send him and other family members first-class plane tickets to the U.K. And then invite them out to their home, Frogmore Cottage, on the grounds of Windsor Castle, to meet the newborn.
Of course, nothing like that is going to happen. It’s also questionable whether Meghan is willing to let her 74-year-old father, Markle Sr., back into her life.
Soon after Meghan became engaged to Harry in November 2017, Markle Jr. and her half-sister, Samantha Markle, began turning up in the tabloids to criticize her, Harry and the royal family. The patriarch, Markle Sr., joined in the criticism after her May 2018 wedding to Harry.
Perhaps uncharacteristically, a seemingly chastened Thomas Markle issued a rather kind statement in response to his grandson’s birth.
“I’m delighted to hear that mother and child are doing well,” Markle said in a statement reported by People and other outlets. “I am proud that my new grandson is born into the British royal family and I am sure that he will grow up to serve the crown and the people of Britain with grace, dignity, and honor. God bless the child and I wish him health and happiness, and my congratulations to my lovely daughter Duchess Meghan and Prince Harry, and God save the Queen.”
The relationship between Meghan and her father, a retired Hollywood lighting designer, reportedly had been fraught for some time before the wedding, but she nonetheless asked him to walk her down the aisle when she married Harry.
But just before the wedding, Markle Sr. was caught staging paparazzi photos. There is some question about how much Meghan and Harry forgave him, but he ended up not attending the wedding after said he had suffered heart problems.
In subsequent months, Markle Sr. began giving interviews to the tabloids, accusing Meghan of cutting him off, while also revealing private information she and Harry shared with them, including portions of a private, hand-written letter she sent, expressing her anguish about their damaged relationship.
A source told Us Weekly in July 2018 that Meghan was “upset” over her relationship with her father.
“She would like to speak to him, but there is no trust there anymore,” the insider told Us Weekly. “And it doesn’t seem like it could ever be rebuilt. The damage is done.”