Thomas Markle, the father of Meghan Markle, is speaking out hours after his daughter married Prince Harry in a lavish royal wedding.
Markle praised his daughter on her big day, complimenting her beauty and the “emotional and joyful” ceremony.
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“My baby looks beautiful, and she looks very happy,” Markle said. “I wish I were there and I wish them all my love and all happiness.”
Markle is currently recovering from heart surgery he underwent on Wednesday in California. This surgery was to clear blockage and install a stent that ultimately led to him miss out on the ceremony.
Thomas had a heart attack last week and began feeling more chest pains on Monday. Tests were conducted and surgery was deemed the appropriate course of action.
The health scare is just the latest in a long line of dramatic turns for the Markle family leading up to her marriage to Prince Harry of Wales. Several members of her extended family had lashed out at the princess-to-be ahead after not being invited to the ceremony.
Thomas was expected to walk Meghan down the aisle, but backed out on Monday after he was caught posing for paparazzi pictures in exchange for cash and royalties. Meghan then reached out to him to her express her love and concern for him, putting him back in conversation for the ceremony.
A Kensington Palace spokesperson issued a statement to media after this incident, conveying that the couple asked for privacy on the matter.
“This is a deeply personal moment for Ms. Markle in the days before her wedding,” the spokesman told PEOPLE. “She and Prince Harry ask again for understanding and respect to be extended to Mr. Markle in this difficult situation.”
The former Suits actress’ half-sister, Samantha Markle, later confessed that she had suggested that their father pose for the photos.
“I have to say I am entirely the culprit,” Samantha said during an appearance on British talk show Loose Women on Monday, according to PEOPLE. “As we know the media can take very unflattering photographs of people on their casual days and blow it way out of proportion. I said, you know, the world has no idea you’re getting in shape, doing healthy things. They don’t photograph you buying vegetables and PH water. They photograph you as unflattering ways as they can.”
She continued, “So I said, really you need to show the world that you’re getting in shape and doing great healthy things. So I suggested it. There’s a lot of scrutiny that it was money motivated, it was not. It was my suggestion that to benefit him and to benefit the royal family that everyone looked good and they depict you as you are – in shape and doing healthy things.”
After all that drama, Markle unfortunately suffered the aforementioned health setbacks, grounding him in the U.S.
Photo Credit: The Royal Family
