The Duchess of Sussex: Family and Background

[Rudolph]

Originally Posted by ACO

Thomas was the lighting director on TWO long running insanely popular television shows. He was making quite a penny and certainly enough to to put her through school and go on vacations. People make way less than that and manage to do the same.

Thomas changes his story with every single interview.

I know the actors on those shows made a pretty penny but I have no idea what the lighting director made. It was probably union pay.

I’m assuming it was good money but again good money is relative depending on the person.

[Osipi]

The more I read, the more I've come to believe that Tom, Sr. knows very well that right now he's fighting a losing battle. It angers him and the angrier he gets, the more he's going to look for channels to lash out about it.

Who Thomas Markle, Sr. was in the past in irrelevant to the current situation he's found himself in. None of us are the same people we were 20 years ago or even maybe 10 years ago. People change, relationships change and in order for relationships to survive and thrive, it takes work of both parties to commit to it with love and trust. We see that in Meghan's relationship with her mother.

The money Tom, Sr. may or may not have had "back then" and what he did with it is also irrelevant. Paying for his child's education is not a guaranteed "get into the castle free" card. Its amazing how Daddy Dearest is so concerned and all "out there" to reach Meghan and establish a parental relationship again but we don't see him giving any kind of kindness towards his son and the troubles they've found themselves in or even expressing a tidbit of parental concern. He only mentions Samantha as a guilt card to play on Meghan.

To fracture JFK's widely known quote to describe Tom, Sr., it would be "Ask not what you can do for your children but what your children can do for you". Should Meghan have never met Harry and never gained recognition at all on the world stage, this man would have remained in obscurity and no one the wiser of who he is. With Meghan as his pawn in his quest for what he feels entitled to, he's proving to the world exactly why he should have remained in obscurity in the first place.

Pride goes before a fall and I've a feeling there's a big fall earmarked for this man sooner or later and its not going to be pretty.

[CTchic]

Originally Posted by Rudolph

I believe the lottery thing because without it Meghan’s lifestyle as a child through to college doesn’t add up.

Her father admits to making good money during his peak years but ‘good money’ is relative.

By lifestyle you mean her education? Hardly a lifestyle, he is a parent and it is his job to support her. Also Doria supported her as well but of course him being a narcissist does not want to acknowledge her in Meghan's upbringing.

Him saying I made you so you owe me is not the language of a father seeking reconciliation; it is the language of an abusive manager seeking compensation from a former employee. That is sick and the press are enabling his narcissism.

[Lady Reem]

Originally Posted by M. Payton

Lady R, totally agree with what you stated and each of us in whom we are is just that, we are each individuals and must survive as such for we are all we as a person has in life....we must take care of ourselves first and love ourselves first before we can do the same for another.....I really see with Meghan and Harry giving NO response to this situation that they have learned that lesson in life early on....

Meghan mum worked too and Doria’s dad was an antiques dealer. They likely all contributed as well as Mr Markle towards her education and as a child growing up. I wouldn’t say he exclusively funded her lifestyle. I doubt she lived the life of a child of a millionaire. Just my opinion.

Let’s not forget Meghan worked to support herself as a teenager, too. Probably sponsored via scholarships through College.

I just wouldn’t believe every single word as told by a known liar.

[O-H Anglophile]

Originally Posted by CTchic

By lifestyle you mean her education? Hardly a lifestyle, he is a parent and it is his job to support her. Also Doria supported her as well but of course him being a narcissist does not want to acknowledge her in Meghan's upbringing.

Him saying I made you so you owe me is not the language of a father seeking reconciliation; it is the language of an abusive manager seeking compensation from a former employee. That is sick and the press are enabling his narcissism.

Of course it is a parent's responsibility to support their children, pay for their shelter, food and clothing. But it is not a parent's responsibility to pay for a private school education--that is a choice.

[ACO]

Originally Posted by Rudolph

I know the actors on those shows made a pretty penny but I have no idea what the lighting director made. It was probably union pay.

I’m assuming it was good money but again good money is relative depending on the person.

You know top union pay in the entertainment field on the lowest scale? They can make up to $100K a year base. This is stage crew level. I know many people in Local One. Now imagine someone on the top end of that. This is also prior to all the cuts that have affected the business in recent years. I have a hard time buying this story Thomas Markle needed the lottery to pay the bills when this man was the lead lighting on GH and MWC for over a decade.

Also what lifestyle are you claiming Meghan had? She went to good schools and took vacations. Am I missing something else?

[Rudolph]

Originally Posted by ACO

You know top union pay in the entertainment field on the lowest scale? They can make up to $100K a year base. This is stage crew level. I know many people in Local One. Now imagine someone on the top end of that. This is also prior to all the cuts that have affected the business in recent years. I have a hard time buying this story Thomas Markle needed the lottery to pay the bills when this man was the lead lighting on GH and MWC for over a decade.

Also what lifestyle are you claiming Meghan had? She went to good schools and took vacations. Am I missing something else?

So why does Thomas Markle allow this narrative of a lottery win to continue?

Wouldn’t it be much better PR for him to promote a narrative of him scrimping and saving every penny to fund Meghan than to chalk it up to the lottery.

Either way I don’t care but a lottery win of 750.000 would explain a lot.

[Lady Reem]

Originally Posted by O-H Anglophile

Of course it is a parent's responsibility to support their children, pay for their shelter, food and clothing. But it is not a parent's responsibility to pay for a private school education--that is a choice.

And if Mr Markle did indeed contribute towards that then that was also his choice. A child never asks to be born but it’s certainly the responsibility of the parent(s) to provide for the offspring they bring into the world, without the child/adult offspring being guilt tripped, manipulated, blackmailed, abused & bullied. Either as a child or later on in life by said parent.

[M. Payton]

I am going to throw something here into the mix of this Markle family.......from what I have read Doria separated when Meghan was 2 years old, right ( and please correct me if I am wrong) so before this separation of her marriage with Tom Sr the older children, Sam and Jr came to live with them, during this time period Doria from what I read tried to guide them and nurture them the best she could and they would have none of it.....so just saying that at the end of that time period she made the decision to leave the marriage for maybe she saw what the future would hold for Meghan if she had stayed in the marriage.....she took her daughter and left and raised Meghan with help from her family not the Markle's. Doria knew that she did not want her child to suffer an upbringing that Tom's older children had for she saw just how mean and hateful they could be and that was not for her child.....I think Doria saw well ahead what she could do better for Meghan then let her be around those that wanted to tear her apart and we all see that today.........just me thinking that Doria is one very astute lady far ahead of her time.....very well done Doria, very well indeed.

This must really grate on Sr now that he knows he is in the wrong and there is nothing he can do about it........he lost and just can not accept the decisions he made......well do not feel sorry for him at all....fools suffer more fools and he is a fool!

[ACO]

Originally Posted by Rudolph

So why does Thomas Markle allow this narrative of a lottery win to continue?

Wouldn’t it be much better PR for him to promote a narrative of him scrimping and saving every penny to fund Meghan than to chalk it up to the lottery.

Either way I don’t care but a lottery win of 750.000 would explain a lot.

I don't know. He says and does a lot of things. Read all his interviews and the man contradicts himself a lot. That said, he could have won the lottery. I don't even claim he lying. He said he used some for her schooling but much of it allegedly went into a bad business deal. So that was his focus. But facts are facts and as someone who works closely and knows MANY in the unions that he was a member of (1 & 728) .... I know the ballpark he was making. So this tale is a hard one to sale.

[Lady Reem]

Originally Posted by Chloep

I am just disgusted. He is saying nothing new but they are getting more disgusting, vile and aggressive with each interview. I guess that's the only way you can get the $ considering they know nothing.

At this point, I am genuinely hoping Meghan and co. take legal actions - if nothing else, defamation. Certainly with how he talked about Doria. Just vile.

I am also hoping that they'll be revoking the access privileges of the Fail, Mirror and Sun - this has went on long enough. At least a temporary ban is MORE than called for.


The very last thing they should do is talk to him. THE VERY LAST. Abusers should never be given what they want. NEVER. And that is exactly what they are.

Sir, if you were to keel over tomorrow they only person you had to blame was yourself. Nobody else. And you and your other two children, Thomas Jr and Samantha better pray that there is no Reckoning when the time comes because it'll be justly very uncomfortable for people such as yourself.

This attention-seeking nasty man with his grotesque sense of entitlement says he’s about to unload on the Royals. Just creepy

I tell you, I’ve just about reached my limit on Meghan and the Royal Family,’ he said ominously. ‘I’m about to unload on them.

[Madame Verseau]

I read the latest Tom Sr meltdown on the Daily Mail and attacking a sympathetic and respected person like Doria was very stupid. It's turning the public against him more. What else was stupid in the interview? Tom Sr let it slip he hasn't done drugs in over 20 years. That's new. It now begs the question if substance abuse was a contributing factor to the breakdown of his marriage to Doria and tabloids are going to snoop and see if he had a drug problem on the job. Sharon Osbourne let it out there he had a drinking problem, but he hasn't filed or threaten to file a suit for defamation against her or the show.

[Lady Reem]

Originally Posted by M. Payton

I am going to throw something here into the mix of this Markle family.......from what I have read Doria separated when Meghan was 2 years old, right ( and please correct me if I am wrong) so before this separation of her marriage with Tom Sr the older children, Sam and Jr came to live with them, during this time period Doria from what I read tried to guide them and nurture them the best she could and they would have none of it.....so just saying that at the end of that time period she made the decision to leave the marriage for maybe she saw what the future would hold for Meghan if she had stayed in the marriage.....she took her daughter and left and raised Meghan with help from her family not the Markle's. Doria knew that she did not want her child to suffer an upbringing that Tom's older children had for she saw just how mean and hateful they could be and that was not for her child.....I think Doria saw well ahead what she could do better for Meghan then let her be around those that wanted to tear her apart and we all see that today.........just me thinking that Doria is one very astute lady far ahead of her time.....very well done Doria, very well indeed.

This must really grate on Sr now that he knows he is in the wrong and there is nothing he can do about it........he lost and just can not accept the decisions he made......well do not feel sorry for him at all....fools suffer more fools and he is a fool!

The traumas Meghan’s mum was likely subjected to during that period for her kindness. I’d say the pathetic trio are the ones who owe her and her child. And not the other way round!

[Pranter]

About to unload? Really what more can they say...they've trashed her repeatedly for months. Only difference is now her father (not sure he deserves that title now) is joining in.


LaRae

[Lady Reem]

I’m not usually a fan of the DM but they are not handling this man with kids gloves at all. They have given him a platform unfiltered (enough rope) knowing what he’s like. The Mirror, GMB and the like would have done some clean up beforehand to ensure he came across has the victim. And Meghan the pure evil villain. I know a lot of the MailOnline writers tend to have a bias against Meghan and celebrities in general etc And the paper certainly has been terribly horrid about Meghan and her mother. But their investigative journalists helped expose the shenanigans of Mr Markle and his older children. Something the other tabloids just wouldn’t have done or even dream of doing. I still don’t like MailOnline though.

[M. Payton]

Originally Posted by Lady Reem

The traumas Meghan’s mum was likely subjected to during that period for her kindness. I’d say the pathetic trio are the ones who owe her and her child. And not the other way round!

I wasn't implying that Meghan and her mom owed the markle's anything and maybe I worded it wrong.....I was trying to think about the time period when Doria finally left that marriage and what drove her to do so.......the very behavior of the older markle children was not something she wanted her daughter to develop in time......if anything the markle;s owe Doria and Meghan more then they can ever repay IMHO.

[Lady Reem]

Originally Posted by Pranter

About to unload? Really what more can they say...they've trashed her repeatedly for months. Only difference is now her father (not sure he deserves that title now) is joining in.


LaRae

Oh the possibilities are endless. Never underestimate the workings of a creative mind of fiction. And the Markles have shown how to scrape the bottom of the barrel in that regard.

[Madame Verseau]

Tom Sr said in the interview if he sent a birthday card to Meghan it would be checked for explosives. Given his hostile attitude the security teams will have no choice. He will look very foolish if they announce he sent the card and they found something dangerous. He'll need a criminal defense lawyer then.

The money must be running out for all three of the Markles, and the BBC & ITV announcements must have put them in a panic. Daily Mail must be worrying about its own reputation if it felt the need to put in the story it did not pay for the interview.

For Samantha's part, I think her failure to succeed in Hollywood is a driving factor in her animus towards Meghan. She had a one episode in Matlock in 1993, a writing credit in a short film called the Participant and a producer credit in a movie called Choices. Outside of IMDB I could not find any information about the films, they may not have been critical or commercial successes.

[Lady Reem]

Originally Posted by M. Payton

I wasn't implying that Meghan and her mom owed the markle's anything and maybe I worded it wrong.....I was trying to think about the time period when Doria finally left that marriage and what drove her to do so.......the very behavior of the older markle children was not something she wanted her daughter to develop in time......if anything the markle;s owe Doria and Meghan more then they can ever repay IMHO.

I know you wasn’t implying that, my apologies it appeared that way. I didn’t mean it to.

[AlowVera]

Originally Posted by O-H Anglophile

Of course it is a parent's responsibility to support their children, pay for their shelter, food and clothing. But it is not a parent's responsibility to pay for a private school education--that is a choice.

If the parents made the CHOICE to send their child to a private school then yes it is their responsibility to pay for that school. It should be noted that even when it comes to private school some who attend get financial scholarships to attend. Lets not use Meghan going to private school as a way to disparage her. Meghan as a kid did not make her parents enroll her in a private school.