Prince Harry’s memoir casts fresh spotlight on emotional fallout for Meghan Markle
Thomas Markle’s 81st birthday has been overshadowed by renewed scrutiny, as revelations from Prince Harry’s memoir Spare once again thrust the Duchess of Sussex’s father into the spotlight over his role in the chaotic lead-up to the 2018 royal wedding.
In his memoir, Harry paints a painful picture of betrayal, claiming that Thomas Markle staged paparazzi photos in the days before the wedding while repeatedly denying any involvement to both Meghan and Harry. The deception left Meghan “devastated,” as the scandal unfolded publicly and added pressure to an already intense moment.
“He swore he’d never staged any photos,” Harry wrote, recalling how Meghan initially trusted her father’s word. But when the truth emerged the following morning, Thomas reportedly texted them, “I’m so ashamed.”
The consequences were swift and severe. The media frenzy, combined with Thomas’s last-minute heart attack, led to him missing the ceremony entirely—leaving Meghan to walk down the aisle without her father by her side. The emotional fallout, Harry suggests, was profound and long-lasting.
According to royal insiders, the scandal may have even triggered the infamous tension between Meghan and Princess Kate, often linked to a disagreement over Princess Charlotte’s bridesmaid dress. The so-called “bridesmaid drama”—involving issues with tights and dress length—might never have happened, sources say, had Meghan not already been overwhelmed by the "chaos" surrounding her father.
Now, years later, with Thomas Markle still estranged from his daughter and no reconciliation in sight, his milestone birthday serves as a stark reminder of how personal betrayal played a major role in one of the most emotionally charged chapters in royal history.
