Meghan Markle: Family and Background - November 2017-May 2018

[jacqui24]

Originally Posted by Juliette2

But, please, I could see that he needed help!! Come on, he lives pinching pennies beyond the border, does not work, is overweight and not in good health. He has not even met Prince Harry for goodness sake! For all we know he hasn't seen his daughter in person for years! Yet, she expects that he walks her down the aisle at St. George's chapel...And you think he's going to seamlessly go from buying beer at 7/11 to having tea with the Queen at Windsor Castle? Let's be realistic!

He was stalked by the paparazzi from the day the engagement was announced. EVERYONE expected it I'm sure. Yet, he had no guidance, no security, no place was provided for him where he could just live in peace for a few months. The whole thing is shameful. And by the way, her mother going to Oprah's house to have a "chat" for six hours isn't edifying either.

I'm sorry to say that all of this does not augur well.

Second, her dad was not stalked from the day of the engagement. His location was unknown to the paparazzi and tabloids until his brother sold it to the tabloids and they descended there. Meghan's mom's security was ready outside of her house with a statement from KP being handed to media that approached because they already knew the press knew where she lived. Had Tom wanted security, I'm sure the same would've been provided for him. And no, I don't think confining someone to place they don't know is a good idea unless they want it. And clearly, neither wanted it and wanted to go about their own lives. And what does going to buy beer have anything to do with having tea with the Queen? I'm sure Harry has also bought beer in his life, don't see that as a conflict from having tea with Queen. Tom might not have been as comfortable going in, but I highly doubt he has to spend a significant amount of time at tea. Suck it up and spend an hour with an in-law for your daughter isn't too much to ask. Still not seeing how Meghan should've seen this mess coming. He's said he'd love to walk her down the aisle, and he's never spilled any dirty laundry to the media before.

[Alliec76]

Originally Posted by O-H Anglophile

This is just silly. There is NOTHING embarrassing about buying a toilet at Home Depot or anywhere else. Nor would seeing a photo of your father doing so cause you to suddenly say OMG dad needs HELP.

I think it would make me say, "OMG, my dad is smart to be looking for deals and living within his means, since he has had money troubles in the past." But maybe that's just me.

[Cocoasneeze]

It's so easy to say what Meghan should've done and said, but we don't know what she did say and do. Perhaps her father insisted he wants to walk her down the aisle.

And the paparazzi harassment isn't Meghan's fault, she didn't force anyone to stalk her father. That ALL is on the tabloids and press, who are still giving platform to the markles. Just this morning loose women had Samantha on. KP were telling the press to back off, but they wont back off when Tom had made a deal with one of them. And is still talking to TMZ.

If Tom felt overwhelmed by it all, he should've backed off from walking her down the aisle. He should've had an honest conversation with Meghan. She's a compassionate, smart woman, she would have understood. By all accounts, he was insisting that he walk her down the aisle.

[Juliette2]

Originally Posted by Alliec76

And how do you know that those things weren't discussed or offered? And he is of retirement age, so he is retired. He's not just, not working. I'm sure he collects social security and has a pension. He's had financial difficulties in the past, so perhaps he's taking pains to live within or even below his means. Some people actually want to live frugally.

But the bottom line is, whether you could see he needed help, or Meghan or KP, no one can make him take it. Unless Meghan has been made his conservator or guardian, in the eyes of the law he's a grown man allowed to live where and how he wishes, dress as he wishes and take care off (or not) his health as he wishes.

Putting this in Meghan or KP is ridiculous unless you know for a fact that left his cries for help unheeded.

Of course, I don't know. But again, if these things were offered and refused a big red, ringing alarm should have sounded in MM and KP's heads! You either completely distance yourself from him or you can't leave a loose cannonball like that doing things on his own and expect that he shows up at Windsor Castle as if it's his second-nature.

(By the way, if living frugally is a choice, you don't buy lottery tickets...)

One last thing. The strangest thing to me is that he hasn't met Prince Harry. That has always sounded a big, red alarm in my head. Again, if it's Mr. Markle's choice not to meet him then maybe he should not be part of the wedding.

Do we know if he walked her down the aisle at her first wedding?

[Somebody]

Originally Posted by Cocoasneeze

According to some royal reporters, this will get some public sympathy for Meghan.

If Meghan's mother ends up walking her down the aisle, I expect most reporters and the public to have sympathy for her that somehow her father was not in a position to do so. If after this mess, her father is still the one to walk her down the aisle, I don't expect people to feel as much sympathy for her as in that case she clearly is fine with his behavior (might be the reasoning) and the whole wedding just one big masquerade (it's easy to blow things out of proportion, just trying to think how the media might spin this).

[Juliette2]

Originally Posted by duchessrachel

To me, his not attending the wedding is worse than his misjudgment in participating in the pictures. I am not sure if it is his choice not to attend or if he has been disinvited, but if it is his choice, he needs to swallow his pride, put his daughter first, and walk her down that aisle.

I actually agree.

[ACO]

Originally Posted by Cathy-PA USA

Now this news about Yvonne's internet presence really makes sense!

I was going to respond to AlowVera that the dynamics and bullying of Meghan seem racially motivated. That is just my gut feeling. Meghan has a very real and important mission as such a focal point to help society make shifts in treating her with dignity and respect, while recignizing and calling out the hyenas for what they are.

I'm sorry for the pressure I can only imagine this adds to the stress of a wedding - for the couple, especially for Meghan - and kudos to Prince Harry for what he learns and his honorable behavior as this plays out.

Samantha has made her hatred of Meghan no secret. When she started retweeting some of those well known Meghan tumblr theories was when I knew the gloves had come off. In the past few weeks she has gotten more and more openly bitter. And yes I believe she racist and dislikes Meghan and Doria. She slips up a lot and then deletes when people call it out. Probably has happened all Meghan's life.

[Juliette2]

Originally Posted by O-H Anglophile

This is just silly. There is NOTHING embarrassing about buying a toilet at Home Depot or anywhere else. Nor would seeing a photo of your father doing so cause you to suddenly say OMG dad needs HELP.

Well, I certainly admire your confidence!

If it were my father, I would feel responsible to cause him such embarrassment (whether we agree or not, Mr. Markle said he found some paparazzi pictures embarrassing. I'll give the statement the benefit of the doubt).

[Somebody]

Originally Posted by Juliette2

Honest question: how do we know this? I'm sorry I'm just catching up with all of this...

The palace was called by journalists and they had no clue; had Meghan been informed she surely would have warned her staff that it would be coming.

I'm just wondering when he was expected to arrive in London. I'd say tomorrow (Tuesday) or Wednesday at the latest if he was to meet his daughter's future husband and in-laws in the days leading up to the wedding...

[jacqui24]

Originally Posted by Juliette2

1. He filed for bankruptcy.
2. You don't move to Mexico because you have extra cash to spend. At the very least, you move to pay less taxes. People in San Diego cross the border to go to the dentist's because they're cheaper...
3. If you are a compassionate, honorable child, your parent's health should be your concern.
4. If with your choices you FORCE your parent into the limelight, you are responsible for his actions when they relate to dealing with the press, the Royal Family and your new country. True or not, MM could have just said: "My father and I love each other. He supports my marriage and decisions, but, unlike myself, he has chosen a quiet, private life and I'm protective of him so I will walk down the aisle by myself while thinking of him."

This said of course he's an idiot, but MM should know.

Where he lives is actually an area with a lot of ex-pats. For the simple fact that you can have a beach house for MUCH cheaper than in San Diego just a little bit north. Any person with a pragmatic approach that wants to live in the area would consider this.

And Meghan's dad looks overweight, but he's always been overweight from what we've seen of photos from Meghan's childhood. How is she to blame for this? Is she supposed to force him to workout or something?

And Meghan and Harry have tried to help by working with the press to leave him alone behind the scenes AS THE MEDIA HAS ADMITTED. We have to keep in mind that there is a lot going on at the press office behind the scene than we are privy to. Remember that November 8th, 2016 letter? We knew NOTHING of what they were trying to do behind the scenes until that letter. We thought they were just sitting there and letting the storm pass. But that wasn't the case. Granted, a letter like that is only the last resort and can't be used every time, but obviously a lot happened before it was issued. The media has said KP has repeatedly asked them to respect his privacy and a IPSO complaint was even filed.

Originally Posted by Somebody

If Meghan's mother ends up walking her down the aisle, I expect most reporters and the public to have sympathy for her that somehow her father was not in a position to do so. If after this mess, her father is still the one to walk her down the aisle, I don't expect people to feel as much sympathy for her as than she clearly is fine with his behavior (might be the reasoning) and the whole wedding just one big masquerade (it's easy to blow things out of proportion, just trying to think how the media might spin this).

From what I've read, reporters are actually rather sympathetic and still hopes the family can work this out before the wedding. A lot of them were quite restraint on the news about the photos as well, which is why I find this news quite upsetting. The storm was passing.

[Somebody]

Originally Posted by Juliette2

But, please, I could see that he needed help!! Come on, he lives pinching pennies beyond the border, does not work, is overweight and not in good health. He has not even met Prince Harry for goodness sake! For all we know he hasn't seen his daughter in person for years! Yet, she expects that he walks her down the aisle at St. George's chapel...And you think he's going to seamlessly go from buying beer at 7/11 to having tea with the Queen at Windsor Castle? Let's be realistic!

Meghan spent Thanksgiving in 2016 with both her parents (and most likely told them about dating Harry if she hadn't done that by that time). Not introducing Harry to her father is what has concerned me most from the start. I never believed in the 'close relationship' that some attributed to them.

[Juliette2]

Originally Posted by jacqui24

[...] Had Tom wanted security, I'm sure the same would've been provided for him. And no, I don't think confining someone to place they don't know is a good idea unless they want it. And clearly, neither wanted it and wanted to go about their own lives. And what does going to buy beer have anything to do with having tea with the Queen? I'm sure Harry has also bought beer in his life, don't see that as a conflict from having tea with Queen. Tom might not have been as comfortable going in, but I highly doubt he has to spend a significant amount of time at tea. Suck it up and spend an hour with an in-law for your daughter isn't too much to ask. Still not seeing how Meghan should've seen this mess coming. He's said he'd love to walk her down the aisle, and he's never spilled any dirty laundry to the media before.

I'm sorry but I think you're being naive.

[Cocoasneeze]

People even on here were calling Meghan out, when Doria was pictured by paparazzi doing her laundry in laundromat. Meghan should've this and that, bought her a washing machine, or a bigger house and bigger washing machine. And Doria is coping just fine. I never thought there was anything wrong with her using laundromat.

Similarly Tom Sr being pictured buying a toilet was nothing to talk about. Certainly nothing for Meghan to get concerned over.

I personally think, that the 'Tom Sr was so embarrassed over the paparazzi pictures, and decided to get some good ones out there' was just total pile of you know what. I think he just got a really tempting offer, and decided to take it. I read it mentioned, how he passed so many tell all interviews, but a few posed paparazzi shots were too tempting to pass by. I haven't seen anything alarming in any pictures, which would've made me think, that Meghan needed to fly over, pack him in a box, and force him to live in London for the time being. I don't also think, that Tom Sr would've welcomed an assistant. He IS an adult man, has made some dodgy choices recently, and he's responsible for them, not Meghan.

[Juliette2]

Originally Posted by Somebody

Meghan spent Thanksgiving in 2016 with both her parents (and most likely told them about dating Harry if she hadn't done that by that time). Not introducing Harry to her father is what has concerned me most from the start. I never believed in the 'close relationship' that some attributed to them.

Well, that does make it a year and a half.

I agree with you with regard to the "close relationship". Not introducing Prince Harry to her father is odd and troubling.

Originally Posted by Somebody

If Meghan's mother ends up walking her down the aisle, I expect most reporters and the public to have sympathy for her that somehow her father was not in a position to do so. If after this mess, her father is still the one to walk her down the aisle, I don't expect people to feel as much sympathy for her as than she clearly is fine with his behavior (might be the reasoning) and the whole wedding just one big masquerade (it's easy to blow things out of proportion, just trying to think how the media might spin this).

Very true. The risk, though, is that she will play victim and that can trigger other issues.

[US Royal Watcher]

It would be very sad if Meghan's father did not attend her wedding because he feels guilty about this--as royal family scandals go, this doesn't even crack the top 10.


I don't know whether he has actually decided not to go, has been disinvited, or will be there with bells on. Whatever decision he and Meghan make, I hope that neither of them looks back on her wedding day with regret.

[jacqui24]

Originally Posted by Juliette2

I'm sorry but I think you're being naive.

How is it being naive to say that if you provide security for one parent, you'd do it for the other? Or how about sucking it up for one hour for tea with the Queen? This isn't a state occasion, I'm she won't scold him for sticking up his pinky when he drinks his tea if he does.

Originally Posted by Juliette2

Very true. The risk, though, is that she will play victim and that can trigger other issues.

How has she played the victim? If she wanted that, she'd been able to long ago justifiably. And really, this woman is dealing with the consequences of other people's dysfunction and mess. And it is the week of her wedding of all the times they could screw up royally.

[Marlo]

Why are some of you blaming Meghan?

[jacqui24]

Originally Posted by Somebody

Meghan spent Thanksgiving in 2016 with both her parents (and most likely told them about dating Harry if she hadn't done that by that time). Not introducing Harry to her father is what has concerned me most from the start. I never believed in the 'close relationship' that some attributed to them.

It's obvious that Meghan's relationship with her father isn't as smooth sailing as her mother's. But I don't think it's the distant one that posters on here has speculated it to be. Even today, after this whole mess, Meghan and Harry are still asking for respect and understanding for her father. You just simply don't go out of your way for your father on a mess he created if you don't love him deeply.

[Missjersey]

It’s a shame in all of their selfishness that their true colors emerge and none of them have given any thought to Meghan other than how they can benefit from her.

[Cocoasneeze]

Originally Posted by Marlo

Why are some of you blaming Meghan?

I have no clue.