Megan Markle's Father: Absent From Royal Wedding

Meghan Markle's father, Thomas Markle Sr., did not attend her wedding to Prince Harry due to a combination of health issues and controversy surrounding staged paparazzi photos. Initially, it was reported that Thomas Markle Sr. had suffered a heart attack and would be undergoing heart surgery, preventing him from travelling. However, it was also revealed that he had accepted money to stage photographs for the paparazzi, which created a fallout and negatively impacted his relationship with the royal family. Ultimately, Thomas Markle Sr. decided not to attend the wedding to avoid embarrassing his daughter and the royals. Meghan Markle confirmed his absence in an official statement, expressing her care for her father and her hopes for his recovery.

Thomas Markle Sr. staged paparazzi photos

Thomas Markle Sr., the father of Meghan Markle, staged paparazzi photos ahead of her wedding to Prince Harry. The photos showed Markle Sr. preparing for the royal wedding by reading about British culture and news of his daughter's relationship. Other photos included him being fitted for a suit and working out.

The photos were taken by photographer Jeff Rayner, who accompanied Markle Sr. to an internet cafe in Mexico. Security footage from the cafe shows the pair together, with Rayner adjusting the computer screen to capture a better angle of Markle Sr. Other photos were also allegedly staged, including pictures of him working out on a "remote hill" with discarded mattresses in the background, and being fitted for a suit by a 17-year-old employee from a neighbouring business.

Markle Sr. wore the same outfit in each of the photos, indicating that multiple shoots took place on the same day. It is reported that the photos were sold for as much as £100,000, although it is unclear how much of this sum went to Markle Sr.

Markle Sr.'s motivation for staging the photos was to improve his public image. He felt that the media had previously portrayed him in a negative light and wanted to be shown "in shape and doing healthy things". Markle Sr. apologised to his daughter and son-in-law for his involvement in the photo stunts, saying it was a "serious mistake".

The revelation that the photos were staged caused a media frenzy and added to the family drama surrounding the royal wedding. Markle Sr. ultimately did not attend the wedding due to health issues and the scandal surrounding the photos.

He suffered a heart attack

Meghan Markle's father, Thomas Markle Sr., did not attend her wedding to Prince Harry due to a heart attack.

Thomas Markle Sr. suffered a heart attack six days before the wedding, which took place on May 19, 2018. Despite the heart attack, he initially decided to attend the wedding. However, he ultimately chose not to go due to the backlash from staged paparazzi photos that emerged before the wedding.

Thomas Markle Sr. admitted to conspiring with a photographer to pose for a series of staged photos. He felt that these photos would improve his image, as he had been portrayed negatively by the media in the past. However, he later regretted this decision, calling the photos stupid and hammy.

The decision not to attend the wedding was a difficult one for Thomas Markle Sr., who expressed his regret at not being able to walk his daughter down the aisle. He also apologized to Meghan and Harry for his error in judgment regarding the photos.

In an official statement released by Kensington Palace, Meghan confirmed that her father would not be attending the wedding and asked for understanding and respect for her father's privacy during this challenging time.

He didn't want to embarrass Meghan or the Royal Family

Meghan Markle's biological father, Thomas Markle Sr., was notably absent from her wedding to Prince Harry. In the days leading up to the wedding, Thomas Markle Sr. admitted to conspiring with a photographer to pose for a series of staged paparazzi photos. He told TMZ that he didn't want to "embarrass the Royal Family or his daughter" and that he was experiencing chest pains and contemplating checking himself into the hospital again due to fears of another heart attack.

Thomas Markle Sr. initially decided to withdraw from the wedding after the U.K.'s Mail on Sunday claimed that he had been participating in staged photo shoots to help improve his image. Within 24 hours, it appeared that he had changed his mind after speaking with his daughter and Prince Harry. However, he ultimately backed out several days later, citing health reasons and the need for urgent heart surgery.

In an official statement distributed by Kensington Palace, Meghan confirmed that her father would not be attending the wedding: "I have always cared for my father and hope he can be given the space he needs to focus on his health," she wrote. Meghan ultimately broke royal tradition by walking alone up the stairs and nave of St. George's Chapel, with Prince Charles joining her for the second half of the walk.

Thomas Markle Sr. expressed his regret at missing the wedding, saying he was "jealous" and that he wished he could have walked his daughter down the aisle. He also thanked Prince Charles for stepping in and imagined that he was thrilled to walk his daughter down the aisle, as he had always wanted a daughter of his own.

He checked himself out of hospital

Meghan Markle's father, Thomas Markle Sr., checked himself out of the hospital after suffering a heart attack six days before the wedding. He had initially decided not to attend the wedding due to his heart problems, but then changed his mind, only to change his decision again and ultimately not attend.

Thomas Sr. checked himself out of the hospital despite his health issues because he did not want to "embarrass" his daughter or the royal family. He had admitted to conspiring with a photographer to pose for a series of staged paparazzi photos, which had caused a media frenzy. He felt that his actions were a serious mistake and regretted not being able to walk his daughter down the aisle.

Thomas Sr.'s decision to check himself out of the hospital and skip the wedding was influenced by his desire to avoid causing further embarrassment and to focus on his recovery. He acknowledged that the staged photos were stupid and hammy and wanted to avoid further scrutiny. He also mentioned that he needed time to heal and had to stay in the hospital for a few more days, indicating that he prioritized his health and well-being.

Thomas Sr.'s absence from the wedding was a difficult decision for him, as he expressed his regret and jealousy of not being able to walk his daughter down the aisle. He was thankful that Prince Charles stepped in and accompanied Meghan. He also shared his thoughts on Prince Harry's mother, Princess Diana, believing that she would not have approved of the limited communication he experienced with Meghan.

In the end, Thomas Sr.'s decision to check himself out of the hospital and not attend the wedding was a result of his health issues and his desire to avoid causing embarrassment to his daughter and the royal family. He expressed his regret and emotions about missing the wedding, but ultimately prioritized his health and well-being.

He underwent heart surgery

Thomas Markle Sr., Meghan Markle's father, did not attend her wedding to Prince Harry due to urgent heart surgery. Markle Sr. had a stent fitted during the surgery and remained in the hospital for a few more days. He told TMZ that he was "OK" but that it would "take a long time to heal".

Markle Sr. had initially decided to withdraw from the wedding after the Mail on Sunday published photos of him apparently preparing for the wedding, which were later revealed to be staged. He told TMZ that he had participated in the photoshoot because he wanted to change his image, as the media had been portraying him in a negative light. He acknowledged that the photos were stupid and hammy and apologised to his daughter and son-in-law.

Markle Sr. then changed his mind and decided to attend the wedding, but ultimately had to back out due to his heart surgery. In a statement, Meghan Markle said, "I have always cared for my father and hope he can be given the space he needs to focus on his health." She also thanked everyone who had offered generous messages of support.

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