Meghan Markle‘s family isn’t taking no for an answer. Despite not being invited to Markle and Prince Harry‘s wedding, some of the duchess-to-be’s extended family members touched down in London this week ahead of the festivities.
Markle’s nephews, Tyler and Thomas Dooley, and their mother Tracy Dooley, who was married to Markle’s half-brother Tomas Markle Jr. were seen at London’s Heathrow Airport on Monday with their luggage, according to TMZ.
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Although they will not be able to attend the wedding inside Windsor Castle on Saturday, they’ve reportedly been hired by Good Morning Britain as special correspondents for the nuptials.
The Dooleys shortly began posting photos of London landmarks and their hotel rooms to their social media profiles. In March, the family appeared on Good Morning Britain to say they harbored no hard feelings about not being invited to the Royal Wedding and that they were “so proud” of Markle.
Markle’s family has been the focus in the days leading up to the wedding; after much back-and-forth, her father, Thomas Markle Sr., has reportedly decided not to attend and therefore not walk his daughter down the aisle.
Markle Sr. told TMZ he has a heart surgery scheduled for Wednesday morning in which he’s getting a stent inserted after suffering a heart attack last week and feeling more chest pains on Monday.
The health scare is just the latest in a long line of dramatic turns for Markle’s family leading up to her marriage to Prince Henry of Wales. Several members of her extended family had lashed out at the princess-to-be ahead after not being invited to the ceremony.
Markle Sr. was expected to walk Markle down the aisle, but backed out on Monday after he was caught posing for paparazzi pictures in exchange for cash and royalties. Markle then reached out to him to 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 Grant, 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.”
However, this heart surgery has officially grounded Thomas in the U.S. with no chance of getting to the U.K. in time for Saturday’s events.
