The Duchess of Sussex: Family and Background

[Lady Reem]

Who cares what he talks about, you're missing my point. He doesn't have any inside information now, he hasn't in the past and he won't in the future. There will never be a close relationship with his daughter again, he knows this already, there is nothing for him to lose and only money to be gained. And he is a cash cow for the media, they will milk him for all he's worth. Get used to it, he's not going away.

I wouldn’t trust a word he sells to the media about the royals, not after his long running staged photo scams (till he got caught red handed)....He is so untrustworthy as an individual that my entire sympathies lie with the royals.

I just hope moving forward they take precaution like cutting of contact to ensure privacy is maintained, boundaries aren’t crossed and future family are protected from exploitation and emotional harm (as he clearly doesn’t give a damn about the damage or the negative impact on his own daughter’s wellbeing). But there’s also another sad angle to all this, how the strain of it all can take its toll on even the strongest of relationships. The Sussex’s shouldn’t have to be dealing with this especially not so early on in a new marriage. Yet here we are.

 

[Cocoasneeze]

I have to add, about that interview, I'm still confused how Mr Markle repaired his own image by revealing private conversations between himself and Meghan. That logic just doesn't compute.

 

[Lady Reem]

Notice how Samantha Markle’s golden well dried up? Oh and remember how the Dooleys were invited to cover the royal wedding for GMB? I don’t recall them being there. While GMB denied they’ll be on air few days before the wedding, they refused to comment if they were originally scheduled to be.

True. But they had the big’un waiting in the wings and my goodness he sure did deliver for the media on a grand scale!! For me the bit where Snr went “he has his politics, I have mine” etc. - was a sly move/low blow and to me, designed to give the impression Harry was more into the other guy’s politics...

Snr was certainly contrived in his demure demeanour on telly (my opinion)but I don’t in a million years buy the narrative that he is naive and being taken advantage of.

Seeking out media attention over and over despite the help offered to him by Harry and palace reps, plus ignoring his daughter’s pleas - tells me all I need to know about him.

 

[Cocoasneeze]

True. But they had the big’un waiting in the wings and my goodness he sure did deliver for the media on a grand scale!! For me the bit where Snr went “he has his politics, I have mine” etc. - was a sly move/low blow and to me, designed to give the impression Harry was more into the other guy’s politics...

Snr was certainly contrived in his demure demeanour on telly (my opinion)but I don’t in a million years buy the narrative that he is naive and being taken advantage of.

Seeking out media attention over and over despite the help offered to him by Harry and palace reps, plus ignoring his daughter’s pleas - tells me all I need to know about him.

I completely agree. Personally I think, that Mr Markle is quite manipulative. He hides it behind this shy, oh shucks, demure attitude, but I don't think this was a spur of the moment thing, and imho it had nothing to do with his image. IMHO he's pretty much agreeing with Samantha with her views. She is his mouth piece, has been for months. I have no doubt, that had Snr put his foot down and told her to stop slagging off Meghan, she would have. I think Samantha and Snr feed off each other and egg each other on. And I think Snr did insert the Trump and Brexit stuff in by purpose, to get Harry into a bit of trouble.

 

[M. Payton]

You realize that none of the Markle's are ever going to let up on Meghan, they will be breathing down Harry's and her neck the rest of their lives now. They are so jealous and envious of her and what she has done with her life, they I bet feel she owes them for everything she has and then some. I have only known and see this much hate towards a family member once in my life and never thought I would see it again....here it is, black and white for all to see. I feel so sorry for Harry and Meghan for they do not need this type of pressure on them all the time. It is just sad how this father has disrespected his own daughter this way..disgusting and despicable does not even begin to describe it.

Just get ready for the next round of crap coming from the Markle's. -

 

[Lady Reem]

I completely agree. Personally I think, that Mr Markle is quite manipulative. He hides it behind this shy, oh shucks, demure attitude, but I don't think this was a spur of the moment thing, and imho it had nothing to do with his image. IMHO he's pretty much agreeing with Samantha with her views. She is his mouth piece, has been for months. I have no doubt, that had Snr put his foot down and told her to stop slagging off Meghan, she would have. I think Samantha and Snr feed off each other and egg each other on. And I think Snr did insert the Trump and Brexit stuff in by purpose, to get Harry into a bit of trouble.

Yep.

I found those bits excruciating to watch. The “we talked a few times about DT.....we’ve had conversations about him”

And his smirk & snide giggle as he responded when asked if Harry was a supporter of T. ..”I would hope not now, but at the time he might have been”

Beyond belief!

 

[Denville]

Celeb?? Come on. an actress in a show that isn't even that popular? but assuming Mr M is telling the truth bout Harry, sounds like Harry is not anti Trump....

 

[Cocoasneeze]

Ok, first Meghan was called too Hollywood, too much of a celebrity to become a member of the RF, and it was said, that she would make the whole Royal Family a Hollywood circus. But now Meghan wasn't a celebrity at all. I personally don't care, she is doing wonderful job only one month in as a royal. My point was, that Meghan has made her stand re trump very clear. And I'm not giving any credibility to Mr Markle's words, he has shown to twist the truth the few times he's spoken to the tabloids.

 

[Denville]

She's not a celebrity, unless Z list. She was a small time actress, in a Niche market TV show.

 

[jacqui24]

Goodness gracious this conversation is all over the place.

Yes, what he did was stupid. But he’s hardly lashed out at his daughter. He treats “his image” as if it means anything in the grander scheme of things, which is foolish and just makes me think he hasn’t gotten the grip of what his daughter’s new life is like. I mean she’s living in a royal fishbowl where she has behaved impeccably herself yet people makes unfair criticism of every little thing she does. It means he can’t see the bigger picture and prioritize. It makes him selfish. But it hardly means he feel like he’s better than his daughter.

As for the Trump comments. I’m not sure if most people living outside of UK that doesn’t follow royal family and how they behave over the years would know they have to stay neutral on politics. I think Tom has strong opinion about Trump like most people in US does right now and again he jumps to the way he feels like does about his image. I just really doubt he’s intelligent enough or know how all this has to work in Harry and now his daughter’s new role to think of all that on the spot. A lot of this is counter intuitive to an American. Especially an old man who’s set in his ways and can’t see why it doesn’t work when others have certain roles. And there is certainly nothing wrong with what Harry said.

I do have to wonder though, we all know the members of the royal family are politically neutral and thus not comment on politicians or policies positively or negatively. And some of us always wonder and speculate about their true feelings are on politics and assume they do feel one way or another. But now I’m wondering if their training actually goes deeper than just sit there and shut up. If they are actually trained To take your own feelings out of it no matter what and try to get everyone to unite to make the best of what’s been dealt.

 

[AlowVera]

Celeb?? Come on. an actress in a show that isn't even that popular? but assuming Mr M is telling the truth bout Harry, sounds like Harry is not anti Trump....

Shows that are not popular do not last 7 seasons, they are canceled. No need to take potshots at Meghan and her career.

The father is the wild card that needs to be contained. As awful his behavior has been they need to retain a neutral relationship with him. Set him up in a nice retirement community and let it be known so he can't say they don't support him. They need to take him out of the equation. Unlike Samantha, I don't think being a POS is his normal disposition. He just wants a settlement like his brother says.

 

[ACO]

The fact we also know that Piers and his GMB team spent DAYS with Thomas planning this interview just tells me how very, very coached he was in certain things. Thomas out of the blue mentioning Brexit is highly suspect. But Piers got his quote. Well worth the $10K charge.

 

[Purrs]

The father is the wild card that needs to be contained. As awful his behavior has been they need to retain a neutral relationship with him. Set him up in a nice retirement community and let it be known so he can't say they don't support him. They need to take him out of the equation. Unlike Samantha, I don't think being a POS is his normal disposition. He just wants a settlement like his brother says.

This suggestion isn't going to happen. Firstly, it is rewarding his behaviour and does not to discourage him from continuing to blab to the media.There is no way a NDA can be enforced. Second, it emboldens other members of his family to keep talking to the media, in hope of extracting money/other things from the Royal Family. Third, it emboldens others to attempt the same thing. If what you say is true (Tom Sr. wanting a settlement), he is not the first grifter that the Royal Family has dealt with (there have been others for example claiming to be illegitimate children). The last thing they are going to do is encourage this.

In my opinion they are doing the right thing, detach and ignore as one should with toxic family members who crave attention.

 

[Rudolph]

Isn’t there saying about it’s better to have your enemies on the inside shooting out, than on the outside shooting in? Something like that.

In this case Meghan’s paternal family can be viewed as the ‘enemy’.

There’s basically two choices. Try and come to some arrangements and accommodations or cut ties completely.

If you cut ties completely there’s zero incentive for Meghan’s dad to stay in his lane.

It comes down to what you think is the lesser of two evils.

 

[AlowVera]

This suggestion isn't going to happen. Firstly, it is rewarding his behaviour and does not to discourage him from continuing to blab to the media.There is no way a NDA can be enforced. Second, it emboldens other members of his family to keep talking to the media, in hope of extracting money/other things from the Royal Family. Third, it emboldens others to attempt the same thing. If what you say is true (Tom Sr. wanting a settlement), he is not the first grifter that the Royal Family has dealt with (there have been others for example claiming to be illegitimate children). The last thing they are going to do is encourage this.

In my opinion they are doing the right thing, detach and ignore as one should with toxic family members who crave attention.

I think the have to take the hit and neutralize the father. They need to get him in a nice retirement community and just fly him in for christenings and then fly him out.

The Piers interview shows that he can be prepped to say political things that may not even be true. What next? He needs to be contained.

 

[wyevale]

Try and come to some arrangements and accommodations

The problem with so [seemingly] rational and reasonable a plan is that Blackmailers ALWAYS comeback for more..
The disreputable Markles are really hoping by a drip-feed of negative publicity about the Duke and Duchess to extract financial gain.
Any HINT of an 'arrangement'[which for the Markles would HAVE to be financial], would be a disaster, and an ongoing one..
The ONLY way to beat such freeloaders is to blank them, permanently and irrevocably..

 

[ACO]

Isn’t there saying about it’s better to have your enemies on the inside shooting out, than on the outside shooting in? Something like that.

In this case Meghan’s paternal family can be viewed as the ‘enemy’.

There’s basically two choices. Try and come to some arrangements and accommodations or cut ties completely.

If you cut ties completely there’s zero incentive for Meghan’s dad to stay in his lane.

It comes down to what you think is the lesser of two evils.

Your own mental health is the most important things in the end. If Meghan has decided to cut Thomas off then she likely felt it was the final straw because we have seen she was attempting around the wedding. You can only put up with so much. And no doubt there is more to this then we know as there usually is behind the scene. Everyone reaches their breaking point.

Also Thomas's sympathy train is slowing down. Some felt bad for the pictures. Others not so much. This interview definitely tainted him with a lot of people but there are some who still see his POV. But that is it. He said his piece. If he does it again I suspect not many will see him in a positive light.

The Markles have all shown their intentions. The sister, the brother, the nephews, and now the father. The same agenda. I don't blame the RF for not wanting any part of it. And they have shown just how easily they can shift positive attention right back to them. I barely heard anyone talk about them yesterday. There was too much other stuff going on.

No doubt the Markles will strike again soon enough but I do feel overall people are exhausted by them and their attempts to hurt Meghan. Thomas won't be getting to spend time with "His royal family" as he told GMB. How ridiculous. The Markles are the worst.

 

[Cocoasneeze]

I don't think Meghan should bring in any distant relatives, she hasn't been in contact for years before meeting Harry. Why should she? They don't like her at all. Why would she want them in her life in any way or form? Just so they won't blab to the media? They have nothing to blab about.

As for her father. He was in. Meghan apparently talked with him regularly. She confided in him. Her and Harry offered support and help, to go to visit. He declined. They cant force him and can't make him see them/accept help etc. He rather went to TMZ, Piers Morgan and Samantha foe help. He spilled the private conversations he had with Meghan to TMZ and Piers. No doubt to Samantha too.

IMHO best approach is to ignore them. Call to Snr once in a while, nothing personal, just to check on him. That's it.

 

[Lady Reem]

I think the have to take the hit and neutralize the father. They need to get him in a nice retirement community and just fly him in for christenings and then fly him out.

But H&M had brought him into the fold plus closed ranks to warn off the tabloids when he complained about “media intrusion”... They offered practical help and everything else and yet how has he repaid them? Seems it’s a case of wanting to have his cake and eat it, at play here. And with all that’s happened recently do you honestly believe involving him further in royal life will prevent his daughter Sam & ladyfriend Lori getting information to feed off? He’s shown his true hand several times now, so what makes you think he can be trusted now, what’s changed? And even if royal family information is kept from him, sharing a public life with him will in essence legitimise whatever he says (true or false), and whenever he feels like it.

 

[Missjersey]

$$$ with these folks always $. IMO, time to acknowledge them as personae non gratae.

 

[loonytick]

Isn’t there saying about it’s better to have your enemies on the inside shooting out, than on the outside shooting in? Something like that.

Nice as a saying, but that's about it. Some "truisms" make for horrible game plans in real life. This is one of those.

 

[AlowVera]

But H&M had brought him into the fold plus pulled ranks when he complained about “media intrusion”... They offered practical help and everything else and yet how has he repaid them? Seems it’s a case of wanting to have his cake and eat it, at play here. And with all that’s happened recently do you honestly believe involving him further in royal life will prevent his daughter Sam & ladyfriend Lori getting information to feed off? He’s shown his true hand several times now, so what makes you think he can be trusted now, what’s changed? And even if royal family information is kept from him, sharing a public life with him will in essence legitimise whatever he says (true or false), and whenever he feels like it.

You are right they did pull him into the fold even with his shenanigans and calling TMZ. He did something to damage that, perhaps spilling information only shared with him as a test which led them to totally cut him off.

Save​

 

[Winnie]

Deal with what? Mr Markle giving interviews? Harry is unable to control a grown adult man, especially a man he doesn't even know. This interview is Mr Markle's fault, the interviews other Markles have given are their fault, too.

And to say, that the palace should've done more. What exactly. They cant force people to follow their advice or take their help. That falls on Mr Markle as well.

I so agree with you 100%. All parties are adults. They have their own minds and will do whatever they feel will benefit them {where it should be benefit their daughter or sibling} and not themselves.

You have two ways to travel when bombarded by media {1} with class and dignity and honor as did the Middletons all those years. Just going about their daily life with a smile and no media interviews while they were hated for being "common" and social climbers by the jealous public because their daughter found her prince. Or {2} you can play the media to your benefit and milk it for thousands making up stories and elaborate on childhood events to suit your agenda. Sacrifice any class you have just looking for the cash-cow. Changing stories daily if one wasn't working to your benefit. Apparently Samantha and Tom Jr. took that route 100% and I believe pulled their naïve father into doing the same. But, it sure did backfire on them and now they are world's malicious ignorant jokes.

Meghan's lovely mother certainly had more class and dignity and it certainly shown brightly. The world noticed and Samantha still made reprehensible bizarre remarks about her. I guess you can't fix pathetic ignorance.

The Palace could NEVER have stopped this absurd family from mouthing off so they did the "right thing" and let them hang themselves while welcoming Meghan into their lives with a great smile. Good for the Royal Family. JMO

 

[Curbside]

Why would an essentially a-political Prince of the United Kingdom of Britain & Northern Ireland need or want to 'take a position' on the character of a foreign President ??? Never mind EXPRESS it to an unreliable, 'motormouth' fool over the phone ?

I take the Trump comments as essentially neutral. You can say "give him a chance" without supporting Trump or his policies.

 

[Missy-]

But H&M had brought him into the fold plus pulled ranks when he complained about “media intrusion”... They offered practical help and everything else and yet how has he repaid them? Seems it’s a case of wanting to have his cake and eat it, at play here. And with all that’s happened recently do you honestly believe involving him further in royal life will prevent his daughter Sam & ladyfriend Lori getting information to feed off? He’s shown his true hand several times now, so what makes you think he can be trusted now, what’s changed? And even if royal family information is kept from him, sharing a public life with him will in essence legitimise whatever he says (true or false), and whenever he feels like it.

How exactly was he 'brought into the fold'? I think it's pretty obvious he hasn't been included in much of anything, not even introduced to his new son-in-law. I'd say he's been excluded whereas Doria has been welcomed with open arms. How is he supposed to feel about that, and why should he give a fig what Meghan and her new family think of him? They've obviously already made up their mind about him not being worth the trouble and have left him flapping in the breeze to deal with everything himself.

 

[Chloep]

How exactly was he 'brought into the fold'? I think it's pretty obvious he hasn't been included in much of anything, not even introduced to his new son-in-law. I'd say he's been excluded whereas Doria has been welcomed with open arms. How is he supposed to feel about that, and why should he give a fig what Meghan and her new family think of him? They've obviously already made up their mind about him not being worth the trouble and have left him flapping in the breeze to deal with everything himself.

Did you actually watch the interview? I am genuinely wondering, because he repeatedly stressed that both Meghan and Harry offered various forms of support and all aids he'd need to be included. Even leading up to the wedding he mentioned that he talked to them every day and that they and KP advised him about not talking to the press and how to handle the fallout from the staged picture fiasco. He said he didn't want to accept their help and repeatedly choose to go against their advise - even now when being told that Meghan would be very hurt by this interview - he said that he'd have to do it to make people believe that he really had an emergency heart OP - and that he hoped that Meghan will I understand that he knows what he has to do for himself.

I don't think Thomas deliberate sets out to hurt Meghan, but he proved time and time again and now even flatout said it in so many words, the he doesn't care if what benefits him hurts Meghan in the process. Parental support with an asterisk - a truly beautiful things, isn't.

 

[jacqui24]

How exactly was he 'brought into the fold'? I think it's pretty obvious he hasn't been included in much of anything, not even introduced to his new son-in-law. I'd say he's been excluded whereas Doria has been welcomed with open arms. How is he supposed to feel about that, and why should he give a fig what Meghan and her new family think of him? They've obviously already made up their mind about him not being worth the trouble and have left him flapping in the breeze to deal with everything himself.

He has known things that others who aren't in the fold knows. While he doesn't visit in person, it is clear that there is regular conversations going on based on how he was told about who his daughter was dating. And he has said that they've made arrangements for fittings multiple times in LA as they did for Doria I'm sure since she wasn't in London. A lot of things I wish he hasn't said because they clearly went to great pains to conceal it and keep it private so that the media wouldn't get wind of it. Now they all know how they do this.

Meghan might not be having girl talks with him, but it doesn't seem like he wasn't part of the process. There are just some things relating to weddings and relationships and such that mothers are typically more involved in. Add onto the fact that Tom Markle doesn't seem to do a lot of travelling where Doria do travel to see her daughter with or without Harry. And I'm not blaming him for it since I do understand travelling gets more difficult with age and obviously health place a part in it. They talked about going to see him even after his photogate situation, but he's the one that said no. Just like Doria didn't spend weeks on end in London for her daughter's wedding. She spent just a few days in London for it. I'm sure if she wanted to spend longer, Meghan and Harry wouldn't have issues with it. But these are people with their own lives.

I'm not sure why people insist on making it seem like poor old Thomas Markle was left to his own devices and abandoned by his daughter. He told TMZ that his daughter called him as soon as she heard about him not going to her wedding FROM TMZ. After having always included him as part of the wedding plans. She still wanted him to come even after that fiasco. I'm not sure how ANYONE can consider that to be anything other than extremely inclusive. He was the one that wasn't talking to her about it and just announcing it to the world. Just like what's happened here. So if anyone is getting cut out of the process in the family, it's Meghan. Done by the hands of her father. He said he was offered support himself. He just chose to go a different way in handling it.

Even in the media, I don't understand why people keep saying KP or Harry need to do more. The one thing I DIDN'T hear Tom Markle say is that he felt like he wasn't given adequate support from KP or Harry. He simply didn't like how he was portrayed in the media, which is NOT within Harry's control. Believe it or not, the BRF isn't the all powerful that can just swoop in and take over people's lives without consent.

And really, why a father should care what his daughter, whom he's claiming to love, thinks of him?

 

[Ista]

I'm genuinely curious what posters who think the Markles--Tom Sr included--should have been "brought into the fold" think H&M and the BRF should have done, and how that would have played out.

Nowhere in the excruciatingly painful lead up to the wedding, and especially since Tom Sr's recent interview, have I seen any evidence at all that the Markle clan are reasonable or logical people. I don't see how there could be any expectation at all that they would suddenly learn to be discreet. What I have seen over and over again is that if there is any benefit to them at all, they will blather on and on, and are willing to say anything that will give them either attention or cash, preferably both. Samantha is toxic on an epic level, and Tom Sr. is at best sad and clueless, at worst venal, but either way, not someone I would trust with any private information.

It's easy to talk about "but, family!" but I've seen some unbelievably toxic family dynamics, and I think that's what we have here. For people who are that toxic, the best thing you can do is cut them off, and I think that's what we're seeing play out in a very public way..

 

[Cocoasneeze]

As far as I understand, from various sources, Mr Markle himself, Samantha etc, he has been offered the sane amount of help and guidance, as well as the same welcome, as Doria has been. Mr Markle declined. He declined Meghan and Harry's offers to come to meet him. That's on him. He cannot be forced to be part of Meghan's family.

As for why should he care about what Meghan thinks, or I he hurts her. He's her father, that's why he should care. The shouldn't be any other reasons or conditions.

 

[Osipi]

I am definitely going to have to find myself a cheap copy of "My Fair Lady" on DVD here soon as this week has brought that movie into my head. First with Meghan's hat at Ascot and now remembering Eliza Doolittle's dad in the movie. A girl makes good and all kinds of worms come out of the woodwork claiming entitlement. Sound familiar?

All of this has to be extremely hard on Meghan. She went for years in Canada as a character actress in a popular TV show and her "family" were pretty much living their own lives too. In different countries even. No problems. Because of a very high profile romance and eventual marriage, everyone and their pet cockatoo seems to want a slice of the high profile attention. Some blatantly are toxic and have proven time and time again that they have no standing whatsoever in Meghan's life. Her father, who I am finding quite difficult to actually figure out, in handling things "his own way", is driving a wedge even deeper into the land of estrangement from his daughter. Regardless of his intentions or his motives, its what he's doing and I think he's eventually going to have a grand awakening that his actions and words have totally destroyed whatever "image" he was vehemently trying to set straight. He'll have plenty of green dollars to buy Big Macs but in the end, all contact with his daughter will be a strained one if there is even any contact at all.

We've discussed since Day One all that Meghan has had to give up with falling in love with and marrying her Harry but I don't think that any one of us at the time would have thought that one of the losses would have had to be her father. This has to be extremely hard on Meghan and as someone has pointed out, could really be a big fly in the ointment for a new marriage if the love and compassion and caring between the new husband and wife wasn't as strong as it seems to be. When the chips are down, it does seem that Meghan has the total support of her Harry and his entire family behind her to lean on and comfort her and make her feel that she belongs and is welcome. To me, that's the best support system anyone could ask for at a time like this.

Tom Sr. or Samantha or Tom Jr. or any of the Markles aren't the victims in this scenario at all and the sharks that are in the media are doing what they do best. The person being victimized the most, and by her own family, is Meghan herself. Together, Meghan and Harry will get through this and come out on the other end even stronger and more united than ever and will forge forward into a happy married life together. The Markles? To be honest, who cares where they end up or what happens? They're working their way into being a "footnote in history" that no one will care to really remember.