Thomas Markle, Meghan Markle’s father, has recently expressed his deep sadness over not being part of his grandchildren’s lives.
As he approaches his 80th birthday, he feels the weight of not having met Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, who are growing up without the royal influences he believes they deserve.
Statements by Thomas Markle
Living in Rosarito, Mexico, about 400 kilometers from Prince Harry and Meghan, Thomas finds it difficult to grasp that he has never met his son-in-law.
He shared his feelings with New Zealand Woman’s Weekly, emphasizing his longing to connect with his grandkids. He also expressed a desire to build a relationship with King Charles, as both share the experience of being distant from their grandchildren.
Even a simple photograph of Archie and Lilibet, he said, would bring him immense joy.
Thomas’s feelings were particularly stirred during the recent Trooping the Colour ceremony. Seeing Prince William’s children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis—standing proudly with their family on the Buckingham Palace balcony, he felt a pang of sympathy for his own grandchildren missing out on such experiences.
In his conversation with New Zealand Woman’s Weekly, Thomas said, “It struck me as very sad that Meghan and Harry’s kids are being denied the right to know their cousins, who look like fantastic children, or take part in things like Trooping the Colour, which is their birthright. They are getting to the age where they will start to ask questions, as all kids do. I find myself wondering how Archie and Lilibet will feel in a few years’ time when they realize all the things they have missed out on.”
Reflecting on his wish to see five-year-old Archie and three-year-old Lilibet, Thomas humorously noted that he never thought he and King Charles would share a common bond—both longing to spend more time with their grandchildren.
Thomas’s comments come amidst reports that King Charles is eager to visit Montecito, California, in hopes of establishing himself as a “friendly grandfather” to his youngest grandchildren.
Royal expert Tom Quinn mentioned, “He is desperate to see them and hates the idea that Archie and Lilibet will not remember him as the warm, friendly grandfather he wants to be.”
As Thomas’s 80th birthday on July 18 approaches, he admits that the “one person I want to hear from most” is Meghan.
Despite this longing, he genuinely believes she won’t reach out to wish him well or suggest a chance for reconciliation.
The rift between Thomas and Meghan deepened following his paparazzi scandal and his absence from her wedding in 2018.