Thomas Markle continues to be hurt by the lack of contact with his daughter, and he has no problem letting the press know it. Thomas has spent the latter half of the summer on his own personal media tour, letting outlets around the UK in on his quest to reestablish contact with Meghan Markle and his perception of the royal family's involvement in the ordeal.
In case you've missed it, Thomas feels that the royal family has effectively forced Meghan to cut off all contact with her 74-year-old father following his collaboration with the media to deliver a behind-the-scenes look at Thomas preparing for the royal wedding of Meghan to Prince Harry. He ultimately did not attend the nuptials, with both Thomas and the royal family citing a heart attack as the reason.
Thomas says he hasn't spoken to Meghan since just before the wedding, and all the means of communicating with her that he's had in the past have been cut off. His comments on the matter have ranged from apologetic to inflammatory, and in his latest rant, he compared the royal family to a cult.
Meghan and Harry seem to be having a wonderful summer together as newlyweds. They've traveled, attended royal functions, and gotten the hang of their roles as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
This surely hasn't been easy for Meghan, since her estranged family members have been slamming her in the press.
Among the worst offenders has been Meghan's father, Thomas Markle. Thomas has done interviews with publications across the UK, despite acknowledging that Prince Harry himself has warned him of the dangers of the press.
Many have speculated that Thomas' paid photo shoot preceding the royal wedding (after allegedly being advised by Prince Harry not to cooperate with the media) is the reason his daughter has not been in contact.
Thomas Markle believes the royal family is keeping his daughter away from him, advising her not to speak to him or acknowledge his media comments against her.
Meghan's well-known stance as a feminist suggests that she wouldn't let royal protocols and bureaucratic nonsense get in the way of the important relationships in her life.
As the Markle family continues to slam the royals in the media, it's becoming more obvious that Meghan's being put in a no-win situation.
Thomas Markle's latest comments against the royal family don't seem to be a step toward reconciliation.
In a sit-down with the Sun, Thomas likened the royal family to a cult, saying, "They are cult-like — like Scientology — because they are secretive." Certainly, comparing the royal family to a widely controversial religion and later, to the Stepford family, can't be winning him many fans in Kensington Palace.
He went on to say that the royals turn a blind eye to everything and live in their own world, telling the Sun, "They close the door, pull the shades down and put their fingers in their ears so they don’t have to hear."
Thomas claims to be heartbroken after three months of silence from his daughter, although he maintains he isn't angry at Meghan or Harry.
Sources close to Meghan say that she and Thomas have gone through their struggles. One told the Sun, "There has been a long history of 'dad disappointment' with her life being splattered with upset because of her relationship with him."
There have also been reports that Thomas wasn't present for Meghan's first wedding to Hollywood director Trevor Engelson. Thomas denies these claims, telling the Daily Mail, "Of course I have photographs of Meghan and me at her first wedding but I choose not to share them because I think that would be in poor taste and offensive to Prince Harry."
Rumors are swirling of Harry and Meghan taking a tour of the United States sometime early next year. While Thomas Markle currently resides in Rosarito, Mexico, many have begun to wonder if Meghan will take the opportunity to try to make peace with her family, including her vocal siblings Samantha and Thomas Jr.
There's a lot to unpack with Meghan and Thomas' relationship, but the truth is that no one really knows what has gone on in the Markle family's past except the members of that family. The addition of media attention and retelling of events from different perspectives doesn't make it easier to parse out who is in the right or wrong, and it isn't our place to do so. We hope that whatever decision Meghan comes to about her family, she comes to it with peace and the ability to move forward.
