Thomas Markle “must feel extremely let down” following the break-up of his family, a royal commentator has claimed.
Hugo Vickers released his latest book, Queen Elizabeth II, on April 9, 2026, where he explored the relationships between the late monarch and her wider family.
In the book, the royal author discussed the Duchess of Sussex’s father, Thomas Markle, and the fiasco surrounding her wedding and whether or not he would be in attendance.
Both the late Queen and her husband, Prince Philip, sat in St George’s Chapel for the ceremony, which was attended by A-list celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and George Clooney.
Mr Vickers noted that Prince Harry was never introduced to his father-in-law and pondered over the reasons why.
One such possibility, according to the book, was that Meghan could have been “ashamed” of Mr Markle.
When putting the question to Mr Vickers, he clarified to GB News: “I raise it as a possibility.”
The author added: “I think more likely she was nervous that he might say something to Prince Harry.
Thomas Markle ‘must feel extremely let down’ following his family break-up, a commentator has claimed
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GB NEWS / GETTY
“He was good to her when she was growing up. If you listen to what he says as opposed to how his words are reported, you will find a decent man who must feel extremely let down.
“It was in fact a member of Prince Harry’s family who suggested that she might have been nervous of what he might say.”
Mr Vickers stopped short of revealing which Royal Family member actually suggested this.
Mr Markle, 81, has been estranged from Meghan since just before her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018.
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The father-of-three has maintained that two heart attacks on the eve of the royal wedding prevented him from attending the ceremony and walking Meghan down the aisle, though the duchess suggested he was motivated by a desire for media attention.
The rift has meant Mr Markle has never been introduced to his son-in-law. In addition, he remains a stranger to his grandchildren, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, four.
Mr Markle had his leg amputated below the knee in December 2025 in a “life or death” situation after a blood clot cut off circulation in his leg, turning his foot black. The emergency surgery came just months after he moved to the Philippines.
Following the operation, Meghan wrote her father a letter, with her spokesman confirming to GB News: “It has been exceedingly difficult for the Duchess to contact her father privately, despite her efforts over the past several days.
“With the support of reliable and trusted contacts, her correspondence is now safely in his hands.”
Mr Markle is now said to have returned to the US to be fitted with an advanced prosthetic limb that could enable him to walk once more.
“The next stage is to get an electric wheelchair and then a prosthetic leg,” he said.
His eldest daughter, Samantha, revealed: “Dad made the decision to come back to the US for ongoing medical care.
“He will be able to get the best prosthetics here and be surrounded by friends and family to support him.
“Even though he has been through such traumatic times, this has been a positive spiritual experience for dad.”
The former Hollywood lighting director has spoken fondly of his time in Asia, where he received the life-saving operation to remove his left leg below the knee.
“‘I would not be alive today were it not for the care I received from the wonderful doctors and nurses in the Philippines,” he said. “They saved my life.”
Mr Markle also recently revealed that he has started a romantic relationship with nurse Rio Canedo.