Thomas Markle is believed to be “devastated” over the reunion between King Charles, Princess Lilibet and Prince Archie, with the Duchess’s estranged father yet to meet his royal grandchildren.
Meghan Markle travelled to the United Kingdom recently for a royal reunion, which saw Princess Lilibet and Prince Archie meet with their grandfather King Charles for the first time since 2022.
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams has revealed that Meghan’s father Thomas Markle is undoubtedly saddened that the King was given preferential treatment.
“He is likely, since she will reportedly not see or be in contact with him, to feel devastated at the recent news (the King meeting Archie and Lilibet),” Fitzwilliams told Daily Express.
“The breach with Meghan is highly unlikely ever to be repaired.”
Fitzwilliams said the children’s 81-year-old grandfather’s ploy to stage paparazzi shots before the couple’s 2018 wedding ultimately doomed the father-daughter relationship.
He added that Meghan has not been able to look past the betrayal – yet it does not explain why the Duchess had not introduced Prince Harry to her father in person before the events unfolded.
“It is bizarre that he has never met Prince Harry, not even before their engagement, and this has never been explained,” Fitzwilliams said.
“However, what is certain is that Meghan, who was largely brought up by her father, who was once an award-winning Hollywood lighting director, has never forgiven him.
“She preaches positivity relentlessly, but clearly does not practice it.”
In an interview with The Mail in 2018, Thomas foreshadowed his fears of being disconnected from his future grandchildren after he was “cut off completely” following comments of Meghan Markle’s apparent fear of the royal family.
“My thing about my daughter right now is that I think she is terrified,” he said in an interview with The Sun.
“I see it in her eyes, I see it in her face, and I see it in her smile.
“I’ve seen her smile for years. I know her smile. I don’t like the one I’m seeing now.
“This one isn’t even a stage smile — this is a pained smile.
“That might be just having a couple of bad days. I don’t know. It really worries me. I think she’s under too much pressure.
“There’s a high price to pay to be married to that family.”
Markle told The Mail on Sunday that he lost contact with privileges after the interview, adding that if he remains on the outside, he “won’t see my grandchildren”.
“I’m really hurt that she’s cut me off completely,” he said.
“I used to have a phone number and text number for her personal aides at the Palace, but after I said a few critical words about the Royal Family changing Meghan, they cut me off.
“What’s sad is that sometime in the next year, Meghan and Harry will have a baby, and I’ll be a grandfather, and if we’re not speaking, I won’t see my grandchild.
“How tragic is that, to deprive a child of its grandfather because I said a few things critical of the Royal Family?”
Thomas has recently relocated to the United States after living in the Philippines since early 2025, following a series of health battles, including an emergency leg amputation.