The Duchess of Sussex: Family and Background

[Tarlita]

The Palace Is dealing with the Markle debacle. In a tried and trusted manner that has worked for them over manner decades with far worse scandals than this. Total Silence! That's it. No response whatsoever.
That is how the Palace has always dealt with things.
Only when one of them steps over the line badly enough will they get a formal warning.
The most appalling things were said during the Wales's war in the media (a lot of it untrue)and the palace kept quiet until Her Majesty intervened.
The BRF have endured much worse than this in the past.

Total Silence is the best option. Never lower your own standards down to the abusers level.

With luck Markle will put his name to xxxlarge range of clothing and ride happily off into the Mexican desert, counting his peso's.

 

[Dman]

Although I don’t agree that this is just as bad as Di’s passing. That’s a stupid comment from The Sun.

 

[MARG]

The only thing Snr wants is Meghan's public abasement and admission that everything is her and Harry's fault and their promise of being at their beck and call with unlimited generosity

Snr originally said that M & H forgave his photos and wanted to visit him after the wedding and HE said no. Now Harry is accused of haranguing him while he was in recovery in hospital. Most normal people have a retention span of more than three months.

As to action? I think HM and Charles and their offices are all in the mix. Somehow I don't think throwing the Sussexes under the bus is their preferred option.

 

[Missjersey]

Good jiminy cricket, I just thought of the clothing line...even that’s bad marketing advice—I would’ve recommended starting with soap. Couldn’t help it!

 

[Osipi]

I'm not going to denigrate Mr. Markle because of his size or his choice in clothing but I really don't seriously believe that there's anyone on the planet that would actively want to copy his fashion sense. Mr. Markle looks like any man that is of a large girth in his attire. Its not smart, its not marketable and its really not even worth mentioning.

People recognize Tyler Perry when he plays Madea but there'll never be a Madea line of clothing. Its unique to that character. Madea cracks me up.

 

[O-H Anglophile]

I don’t know, but I know they better brainstorm and address the issue or this stuff will continue to be a dark cloud over Meghan and Harry’s heads and it all can get worse. They don’t deserve this, but this is a major KP PR disaster indeed.

We’re talking about Meghan’s father here. No one can tell me that Kensington Palace’s PR team can’t get a grip on this problem and end the ongoing episode of the As The Markle Turns.

Give us a practical solution--what can KP really do? It does no good to say they should or must do something.
As I see it, the only end to it is if Tom Sr shuts up or the tabloids stop giving him ink or airtime.

 

[Zonk]

I am of the opinion that Kensington Palace should keep doing what its' doing. Say Nothing. Do not confirm and/or deny anything. And you certainly do not negotiate with bullies because that's what the Markle's are doing. This is builling by social media and the press is helping the Markle's by constantly writing article after article with no investigative journalism involved AT ALL.

I mean, the inconsistencies that the Markle's spout. How do they keep up with them all. Thomas Sr., says Harry and Meghan offered to meet with him several times and than he says they didn't? Thomas Jr., says the father wasn't invited to the wedding and than it shows up he was but Thomas Jr., isn't in the know and doesn't know anything. How can the press even take them seriously.

• How come know no one is discussing the fact that Samantha has no relationship with her brother, mother or any of her children?
  
• Why is Thomas Jr. estranged from both his parents, his sister and his kids?
  
• How come the siblings can't produce any updated photots of Meghan? That leads me to believe that the estrangement is longer than discussed.
  
• Doesn't look like Thomas Sr., went to Meghan's wedding to Trevor? Did Samantha go or was she invited? This was, presumably before they stopped talking to each other.
  
• Thomas Sr., is desperate for a relationship with his Meghan's potential grandchildren. Does he have a relationship with any of his other grandchildren?
  
• If Meghan is ashamed of Samantha's MS (as alleged by Samantha), how did Meghan express this? In person or was this via social media? I imagine if she had this electronically, she would have released this.
  
• What caused the estrangement between Sam and Meghan? Why does Sam dislike Doria so?
  
  The list goes on and on. And know, I don't expect any answers but like someone previously said...this family was dysfunctional even before Harry married Meghan.
  

And if, this men's fashion line is true. Good grief! And there is one unknown contestant for Big Brother, it is Sam. I think the gloves will be off and people will see this ruckus for what it is. A darn shame.

 

[Tarlita]

I do apologize for mentioning clothing size.
However, if Markle could focus his thoughts and energy on other things that would benefit him and not hurt anyone's feelings all the better for everyone around him.

 

[O-H Anglophile]

Something is broken though. This has been a train wreck since the very beginning. There’s glass all over the floor and the KP PR team just swept the glass under the carpet leading up to the wedding. The broken glass is still under the carpet, but the shards are poking through carpet.

Sussex’s and KP, clean this mess up!

You can choose your friends but you can't choose your relatives. Meghan is stuck with them as relatives, but she doesn't have to acknowledge them since they are being horrid to and about her. Dignified silence is the best route to follow.

 

[Madame Verseau]

Check me for never complain never explain. I wonder how Piers and company are taking Dad's clothing line. To start a business it has to funded somehow; the tabloid money may some something to do with it. Watch these pundits twist themselves in knots to spin this, trying to blame Meghan forcing Dad to get a job. As they spin on one hand they wipe the egg of their faces with the other.

Oh, Daddio just burned all three of his kids, allegedly

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.mi...s/meghan-markles-dad-thomas-told-13087694.amp

Early payback for the clothing line announcement?

 

[duchessrachel]

Check me for never complain never explain. I wonder how Piers and company are taking Dad's clothing line. To start a business it has to funded somehow; the tabloid money may some something to do with it. Watch these pundits twist themselves in knots to spin this, trying to blame Meghan forcing Dad to get a job. As they spin on one hand they wipe the egg of their faces with the other.

Oh, Daddio just burned all three of his kids, allegedly

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.mi...s/meghan-markles-dad-thomas-told-13087694.amp

Early payback for the clothing line announcement?

A quote from the above article: "“But he made no secret that he expected in his dotage the money he spent on them would be repaid." That statement epitomizes who Tom Markle, Sr. really is. He is not a true father. Parents are expected to take care of their children. Most do it because they love them. He does not love any of his children in the way a father should. This is rich coming from him. As far as his jealously over Doria, he had the same opportunity that she did. The difference is that she has class. If he had behaved in the beginning and taken the advice that KP, Harry, and Meghan gave him, he would be treated just like Doria, but this man is self-destructive.

 

[Osipi]

Perhaps no one else besides me has noticed this but I've always held the belief that when people get angry, frustrated and are losing it, its then that the four letter expletives come out in abundance.

This is what is happening now with Tom, Sr. Its f this and f that and the man is going totally off the rails and its showing in his language.

I'm 66, retired and hubby and I live, for the most part, dependent on Social Security. I wouldn't dream of asking any of my three kids or any of hubby's three kids to support my bank account. We make do with what we have and we live pretty comfortably and live within our means.

No parent should feel that their children *owe* them anything but recognize that the children have grown into adulthood, have their own lives and are able to support themselves. Sure, children can and do offer help and assistance when it is needed but it never should be a condition put on them by the parent. Thomas Markle, Sr. is way off base in his thinking that his children are obligated to pay him back. One thing is very obvious to me and that is the fact that Tom, Sr. has absolutely no clue what unconditional love is. To give freely with no expectation of return. Children should be loved and return love unconditionally rather than being seen as an "investment".

Sadly, it is people that have the attitude that Mr. Markle has that often times end up dying alone and unwanted and uncared for. They bring it on themselves.

 

[Dman]

You can choose your friends but you can't choose your relatives. Meghan is stuck with them as relatives, but she doesn't have to acknowledge them since they are being horrid to and about her. Dignified silence is the best route to follow.

Silence works with the half siblings that she don’t have a relationship with. It’s a whole different ballgame when you’re dealing with a parent though.

This can be fixed with a get together between Thomas, Meghan and Harry. A get together that should’ve happened right after the engagement announcement. Give that man the 411 on who runs this show face to face. The over the phone stuff failed.

I know some folks on here think the best strategy is to ignore Thomas Sr, but this Markle Debacle has gone on too darn long and it’s not good that Meghan is starting out her royal role with an unnecessary dark cloud over her head. It’s not going to just go away. It’s going to get worse without major intervention.

No, I’m not saying for Meghan to eat crow, but it’s just time to nip this in the bud.

 

[DeeT]

Disclaimer, I didn’t read the article. But a few days ago, I thought I’d read Tom Sr had a great Hollywood pension & wouldn’t asked for money.

Courtesy of UK media, 2 of Tom’s grandsons flew all the way to the U.K. at the time of the Sussexes wedding. The media promoted the grandson’s cannabis farm, supposedly multi-million dollar business. If he can fly all the way to the U.K. for a wedding he wasn’t invited to, why doesn’t the grandson go & visit his grandfather? Tom Sr said that he wants to have a relationship with a future grandchild of the Sussexes, hmm? Meanwhile he’s got 5 living in the US, doesn’t he want a relationship with any of them?

Everyone demands Meghan must fix everything, but no one wants to fix themselves!

 

[Osipi]

This can be fixed with a get together between Thomas, Meghan and Harry. A get together that should’ve happened right after the engagement announcement. Give that man the 411 on who runs this show face to face. The over the phone stuff failed.

Now, Dman, lets put you in Meghan's shoes here. You have an unruly parent that is going off the rails and spouting so many inconsistencies to whatever press is going to listen to him. He repeatedly has *turned down* any offer of help and assistance you've generously offered him in the past and has twisted it around to the point that its making *you* out to be the mean and nasty ogre and its all your fault. He has made it his business to make public things that you'd rather not be made public and has tried to guilt you into kowtowing to his rantings and his whims. He has blatantly insulted not only you but your husband and his well known and respected family. He is demanding that you devote your life to him in his old age and "take care of him" both physically and financially. There is also the *huge* possibility that any move you make towards him will be splashed all over the tabloid front pages the next day with your father gloating about how he's cut you down to size, brought you to heel and got his way.

Would you seriously consider sitting down in a face to face meeting with this person and expect him to listen, heed and shut up? That, m'friend, is a pie in the sky aspiration. I wouldn't do it and I can't think of many people that would give into this level of abuse and bullying by *anybody*.

 

[Zonk]

Everything Osipi just said I second!

I would also like to add that I don't believe at any time has Thomas Sr., ever denounced or called Samantha and/or Thomas Jr., on the carpet PUBLICLY for any of the nasty and hurtful things they have said about Meghan. The only thing he has ever said, if I recall correctly, if Meghan had behaved abit differently in the beginning of this, Samantha would have no cause to act the way she has.

Talk about blaming the victim!

I mean, the stuff they have said about their sibling...its just downright hateful.

I mean, this is outright bullying and I don't understand how people fail to see this.

And yet Meghan is supposed to turn the other cheek and act like she hasn't been called shallow, narcissistic, a viper by people who LOVE HER?

 

[M. Payton]

And I third what my sister said and stand behind what Zonk said..........how does anyone give into someone who is threatening them again and again and being a BULLY......how does some here not understand about mental health and BULLIES.......This is a serious issue with many people where BULLIES have driven some to suicide for heaven's sake........it robs a person of their very life, it can destroy a person very soul and all the hate and vile things that the Moaning Markles have done to Meghan is down right evil in every sense of the word.......there is nothing more EVIL then what Sam, Jr and Sr are doing now......

 

[Dman]

Now, Dman, lets put you in Meghan's shoes here. You have an unruly parent that is going off the rails and spouting so many inconsistencies to whatever press is going to listen to him. He repeatedly has *turned down* any offer of help and assistance you've generously offered him in the past and has twisted it around to the point that its making *you* out to be the mean and nasty ogre and its all your fault. He has made it his business to make public things that you'd rather not be made public and has tried to guilt you into kowtowing to his rantings and his whims. He has blatantly insulted not only you but your husband and his well known and respected family. He is demanding that you devote your life to him in his old age and "take care of him" both physically and financially. There is also the *huge* possibility that any move you make towards him will be splashed all over the tabloid front pages the next day with your father gloating about how he's cut you down to size, brought you to heel and got his way.

Would you seriously consider sitting down in a face to face meeting with this person and expect him to listen, heed and shut up? That, m'friend, is a pie in the sky aspiration. I wouldn't do it and I can't think of many people that would give into this level of abuse and bullying by *anybody*.

I would call my father up, tell him to get his behind over to the UK and have a good talk with him. Doing things over the phone limits impact. I’d be sweet and kind and even make him a cup of tea. If he maintains stubbornness and get out of hand, I’ll tell him where to pick it up and where to lay it down. Dad would be shown the door and I’ll carry on like he never existed.

Somebody have to make a move to help end this. There’s plenty of blame to go around for this debacle.

 

[O-H Anglophile]

Silence works with the half siblings that she don’t have a relationship with. It’s a whole different ballgame when you’re dealing with a parent though.

This can be fixed with a get together between Thomas, Meghan and Harry. A get together that should’ve happened right after the engagement announcement. Give that man the 411 on who runs this show face to face. The over the phone stuff failed.

I know some folks on here think the best strategy is to ignore Thomas Sr, but this Markle Debacle has gone on too darn long and it’s not good that Meghan is starting out her royal role with an unnecessary dark cloud over her head. It’s not going to just go away. It’s going to get worse without major intervention.

No, I’m not saying for Meghan to eat crow, but it’s just time to nip this in the bud.

Why is it different with her father when he is the one continuing the war on Meghan and Harry?

"The 411 on who runs the show"!! That is naive--he would have great stuff for his next interview. It would have been ideal if there had been a meeting before the wedding--but apparently Tom Sr himself told them not to come. I'm sure he had his reasons.

Yes, this has gone on too long but the blame is directly on the three Markles and the tabloid media--NO ONE else. More and more people feel sorry for Meghan and think her father is acting like a jerk. This is a result of not engaging in the war of words. Nothing Meghan or Harry or KP has said can be twisted because they have said nothing.

I think maybe you can't look at this situation objectively with Meghan's father because of fairly recent personal reasons.
You want the relationship to be fixed because it is her dad, but Tom Sr is not being reasonable and there isn't a magic wand to wave and make him so.

 

[Zonk]

I would call my father up, tell him to get his behind over to the UK and have a good talk with him. Doing things over the phone limits impact. I’d be sweet and kind and even make him a cup of tea. If he maintains stubbornness and get out of hand, I’ll tell him where to pick it up and where to lay it down. Dad would be shown the door and I’ll carry on like he never existed.

Somebody have to make a move to help end this. There’s plenty of blame to go around for this debacle.

There is plenty of blame to go around and it a majority lands on the Markles IMO.

The only thing I can fault Meghan and Harry for is not introducing Thomas Sr., to Harry before the engagement BUT for all we know they offered to do so and he declined. Which he indicated at least a couple of opportunities where they offered to meet up with him and he declined. I say for all we know because his stories are so all over the place, its hard to know what the true facts are.

What we do know is that Thomas Sr., was given the same opportunity as Doria in terms of being brought to London for the wedding. Like Doria he was advised to not to speak to the press. All this other stuff (staging the photos, pulling out the wedding, talking to TMZ instead of his daughter, etc) is all on him.

 

[Osipi]

I would call my father up, tell him to get his behind over to the UK and have a good talk with him. Doing things over the phone limits impact. I’d be sweet and kind and even make him a cup of tea. If he maintains stubbornness and get out of hand, I’ll tell him where to pick it up and where to lay it down. Dad would be shown the door and I’ll carry on like he never existed.

Somebody have to make a move to help end this. There’s plenty of blame to go around for this debacle.

Lets put it this way. Dad has been shown the door and Meghan is going on with her life. All feasible avenues have been exhausted in dealing with the Markles. If he didn't listen then, he's sure in the hell not going to listen now. He's got the (gasp) press on his side! He's enjoying playing himself as the poor little old victim being ignored. He's exactly where he really wants to be and nothing is going to change that.

The only way this can end is for the Markles themselves to end it and frankly, just go away. Nothing else.

 

[Zonk]

Unfortunately, I think it will end when the British press does a full turn on the Markle's and starting hitting them with non favorable stories. Thomas Sr., has already had an inkling on this when he commented that Harry was right about the Press. If he thought he has bad press when he wasn't speaking to the press, he hasn't seen anything yet.

There are always going to be people who don't like Meghan (which is their right) and will use the words of her family as a legit reason why they don't like her.

Frankly, I would think Sam would be scared as it relates to throwing rocks (glass houses and all that). She is estranged from three of her children, there is a court case against her as it relates to her daughter Noelle that is part of the public record (although certain details are sealed because Noelle was a minor) and her mother has nothing nice to say about her. This stuff does not live in a vacuum.

The British tabloids have a reputation for bringing people up to tear them down.

 

[ACO]

If Thomas was the ex husband no one would be telling Meghan to kiss and make up with this abusive man. So why are people telling Meghan to "fix it" with her abusive father? I am seriously bewildered by this. Remove the DNA aspect of it. It really does not matter because a bully is a damn bully.

Meghan, Harry, and the rest of the royals are doing the correct thing. And honestly if something bad were to happen as a result of her doing what some want then people will be bending over backwards to place blame elsewhere.

Meghan needs to do what is best for her sanity. Backseat therapists need to cease.

 

[Rudolph]

I thought we were friends, yes. She certainly tweeted that we were. Sadly, Ms Markle has a tendency to dispense with people as she clambers up the social ladder & finds something ‘better’.. as her poor old father is now discovering.

Dear Meghan Markle, all your fancy new palaces, servants & tiaras won’t make up for losing your father. Get on a plane & go see the poor man before it’s too late. You can’t just freeze him out of your life like you’ve done the rest of your family & most of your old friends.

Via Piers Morgan Twitter.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1028962514812461058

https://twitter.com/x/status/1029031896431423490

I provided links if you want to read the entire thread. Piers is back to his mantra of Meghan being a social climber and user.

It’s from 2 days ago so maybe you’ve read it.

 

[O-H Anglophile]

Poppycock!

Piers and Meghan were friendly acquaintances, not friends. And once she began dating Harry she found out what sort of person Piers actually is and kept him at a distance. He would not have held her confidence--he would have made a big story out of it.

And right now he is frustrated because his grooming of Tom Markle Sr as a source has gone absolutely nowhere.

The only old friend I know of that Meghan dropped was Ninaki Priddy and I've heard there were good reasons even before she went to the press with stories, photos and videos of and about Meghan.

If Meghan's father had kept quiet, gone to Britain and attended the wedding as arranged Tom Sr would be in a good place right now--but instead he chose a different path and that path had consequences. He has only himself to blame. He started burning bridges with all the interviews and hate speech.

 

[DeeT]

It’s actually disgusting that people are not recognizing that emotional abuse is abuse! If her father was physically using his fists against her body, would people say, well just go & meet him one more time, make a cup of tea, tell him not to hit so hard & if he kicks her, then call it a day?

Bizarre comments here, it’s no wonder victims of abuse are afraid to come forward, even for many years, when there is such belittling support & pushing victims to fix their abusers.

No one knows how many times Meghan has already experienced this type of behaviour from her father. It’s not anyone’s business to know unless she chooses to share her story.

https://www.relate.org.uk/relations...ips/arguing-and-conflict/what-emotional-abuse

 

[ACO]

I thought we were friends, yes. She certainly tweeted that we were. Sadly, Ms Markle has a tendency to dispense with people as she clambers up the social ladder & finds something ‘better’.. as her poor old father is now discovering.

Dear Meghan Markle, all your fancy new palaces, servants & tiaras won’t make up for losing your father. Get on a plane & go see the poor man before it’s too late. You can’t just freeze him out of your life like you’ve done the rest of your family & most of your old friends.

Via Piers Morgan Twitter.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1028962514812461058

https://twitter.com/x/status/1029031896431423490

I provided links if you want to read the entire thread. Piers is back to his mantra of Meghan being a social climber and user.

It’s from 2 days ago so maybe you’ve read it.

This makes me laugh. Piers Morgan met Meghan ONCE and suddenly proclaims they are BFFs. I mean.... really? This is a reach even for the biggest of Meghan haters. It was a great giggle though. Thanks.

Though this was a bit jarring from Darren McGrady

https://twitter.com/x/status/1029867916743847937

Let's stay on the bashing Meghan for not speaking to her father topic. Eventually we may get a photo of her in tears in public... or better still pressure her into bulimia. Two people in love don't sell papers after all. #DespiseWhatTheMediaAreDoingToMeghanAndHarry #Dejavu

And Victoria Arbitor.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1029818420441710592

“Worst crisis since the death of Diana”??? What an utterly preposterous statement. Meghan’s dad and extended family are no doubt tricky but let’s keep this in proportion!

 

[Missjersey]

Appeasing this individual by trying to “fix” a bad situation with a sit down or whatever, would only elevate Mr. Markle’s sense of control over his daughter in his narcissistic mind. His demands would become greater and the menacing antics and lies too would escalate.” The narcissist is always “the victim”. I’m sure he’s loving this.

My adult children and I have dealt with one, more than I care to say—they walked away, changed addresses and #s. No contact, yet there’s always pop up for attention that they choose to ignore for their own happiness.

 

[M. Payton]

It’s actually disgusting that people are not recognizing that emotional abuse is abuse! If her father was physically using his fists against her body, would people say, well just go & meet him one more time, make a cup of tea, tell him not to hit so hard & if he kicks her, then call it a day?

Bizarre comments here, it’s no wonder victims of abuse are afraid to come forward, even for many years, when there is such belittling support & pushing victims to fix their abusers.

No one knows how many times Meghan has already experienced this type of behaviour from her father. It’s not anyone’s business to know unless she chooses to share her story.

https://www.relate.org.uk/relations...ips/arguing-and-conflict/what-emotional-abuse

Emotional, Mental and Verbal Abuse are all the same pattern of behavior and have caused serious damage to people that this is happening to.......and I also do not understand how in this day and age with all the info that is out there and with what is happening and being done to Meghan that some just do not see it for what it really is.....It boggles the mind at the narrowness that people think that this can be *fixed* with a phone call or a cup of tea.

 

[soapstar]

I've deleted a ton of comments. This thread is not for discussing the amount of engagements Meghan has done, or to compare Meghan and Kate, or to debate which royal has been treated worse by the tabloids. I've also deleted comments accusing Thomas Markle of being physically abusive to his children. That kind of speculation is not at all okay. Let's stick to the facts, please.

Also, as I stated in an earlier mod note, let's leave the discussion about how terrible the media/tabloids are out of the thread. Posts attacking royal reporters and calling them hacks, scum, fake news, etc. and wishing karma on them, have been deleted.

I know that people are passionate about what Meghan is dealing with regarding her family, but some of the posts are crossing the line. Let's all take a step back and be mindful of the things we say in our posts.