Meghan Markle’s estranged father Thomas Markle is taking some serious flak from fans for his latest TV interview. He appeared on Good Morning Britain last month with perhaps his most inflammatory comments about Markle, Prince Harry and the royal family yet. Markle’s admirers are not taking it lightly.
Thomas has disparaged his daughter in public before, but on Tuesday, Oct. 19 he actually reversed course in a way. In the past, Thomas has complained that the royal family was insulating his daughter from the rest of her family, while now he criticized Markle and Prince Harry for stepping away from royal life. He also felt that their new work as private citizens dishonored their royal connections. He said: “Harry’s coming out with a book, and that can’t be anything but cruel and to insult his grandmother, the Queen. It’s a ridiculous idea, and it’s just something for money. That’s all they’re doing. Everything they’re doing is for money.”
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Thomas also said that his daughter has “changed” since beginning her relationship with Prince Harry, despite many indications that he did not know Markle or spend much time with her in the years before her royal wedding. Markle’s fans threw all of this in his face this week as his new quotes circulated. Here’s a look at the responses he got.
Pot & Kettle
Some commenters thought that Thomas’ mention of Markle and Prince Harry’s financial situation was more likely a reflection of his own financial state. They speculated that Thomas is doing TV appearances and interviews for the payments he may receive from the networks.
Don’t Blame Her
Fans thought that his new batch of interviews perfectly illustrated why Markle has not had contact with her father, and why he was not invited to the royal wedding.
Contrast
To contrast Thomas’ behavior, fans highlighted some of the most supportive moments from Markle’s mother, Doria Ragland.
Contact
Fans questioned Thomas’ motives for doing all these interviews, noting that he must not be interested in regaining contact with his daughter. If so, they thought this was an extremely poor way to go about it.
Queen
While Thomas gave his sympathies to the queen in his latest interview, commenters suggested that he follow the queen’s lead when it comes to handling the press. They suggested that he should have picked up on royal decorum through common sense by now, if nothing else.
Other Parents
Some commenters said that seeing Thomas’ interview made them thankful for their own parents by comparison. Others said that they could sadly relate to Markle in this instance.
Book
Finally, many people said that Thomas had no place speculating about what was in Prince Harry’s book before it comes out. Many also pointed out that his daughter Samantha Markle was just as exploitative of her royal connections in her own memoir last year.
