The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Family 11: 7 May - 31 Dec 2025


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Curryong said:
The other story, of the green dress, comes from 2022, over three years ago.

One might ask why these sort of stories are circulating now, at the end of 2025.
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To be fair, what brought the green dress story to the news was it being worn in the promo for Meghan’s holiday special, which is a current story. The photo shoot was in 2022, but she was only seen wearing the dress again recently.

That being said, I’m inclined to think that it’s a nonsense story- it’s not an expensive dress and I am sure there was some agreement to keep it.
 
HRHHermione said:
To be fair, what brought the green dress story to the news was it being worn in the promo for Meghan’s holiday special, which is a current story. The photo shoot was in 2022, but she was only seen wearing the dress again recently.

That being said, I’m inclined to think that it’s a nonsense story- it’s not an expensive dress and I am sure there was some agreement to keep it.
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I have the same thought.

But why now? Page Six, an American media, started this so the arguments of overzealous British media hating Meghan or BRF jealous of Meghan or using Meghan as distraction over their own scandal can't be applied here. Surely Page Six can find bigger story about some Hollywood celebrities than a story of a former actress bringing home thousand dollars dress from a photoshoot, especially if it's normal practice in Hollywood.

Other than Harry's lawsuit, these past few years I tend to ignore Sussex-related story (particularly rumours and allegations), but this one caught my eyes because she's not only responding (via People), but also threatening lawsuit. So why now? Why this one, but not the previous ones?
 
Blog Real said:
Thomas Markle, the Duchess of Sussex's father, is in intensive care after emergency surgery.
www.dailymail.co.uk

Meghan Markle's father Thomas is in intensive care in hospital

Thomas Markle, 81, who has been estranged from his daughter since her 2018 marriage to Prince Harry, was rushed to hospital on Tuesday after being taken gravely ill at home.
www.dailymail.co.uk www.dailymail.co.uk
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That man will go without letting his daughter know on his remorse and ask for her forgiveness, and he will go without meeting his grandchildren. I have the feeling when he's gone she will finally mention his name and justify her lack of concern all these years for him or his health.

But then, I'm not surprised considering it's a trend to keep relatives at a distance from her current lifestyle since we've never seen Instagram pictures to include Doria's side of the family either. Hope the children are kinder to Meghan in her senior years that how she conducted herself with her father and her father-in-law in their last years of life.

Meghan Markle’s estranged dad Thomas, 81, rushed to hospital for emergency surgery

Meghan Markle’s father Thomas 'fighting for his life in intensive care after emergency surgery'
 
Of course it is sad that this elderly man is extremely ill. However we do not know the story behind the scenes of the estrangement between Thomas Markle snr and his daughter. We don’t know Meghan’s side of things because Thomas snr and his two older children went to the media (quite often for money) slamming and criticising their daughter and half-sister for many years before and after the Sussex marriage.

Having said that, I do think that it is very unfortunate that Harry has never met his father in law or his children their maternal grandfather. If I had been Meghan there would have been regular meetings from the beginning if only because of the criticism she received. And certainly imo there should have been a reconciliation and meetings recently after Thomas became very ill. Life is too short for any of this.

However, as I’ve said, we don’t know Meghan’s side of the Markle story. I hope Thomas survives his op and she tells it.
 
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While I completely agree with you, dear @Curryong, just a small point: the Markle side of Meghan’s family started attacking her only after her relationship with Harry became public, so not “for many years before the Sussex marriage”.

But, yes, they did act as poorly as possible. A pity for everyone involved, and such a pity for the children!
 
We actually do know the story about the estrangement. Meghan’s told her side of the story numerous times. She talked about it in the Oprah interview, Harry wrote about it in his book, and they discussed it again in the Netflix documentary. The estrangement stemmed from the staged paparazzi photos and the ensuing drama that followed.

Asked by Oprah, 67, whether it "felt like betrayal" when she learned her dad "was working with the tabloids" in staging paparazzi photos, Meghan said, "The tabloids had apparently known [her father's location] for a month or so and decided to hold until the Sunday before our wedding because they wanted to create drama."

"We called my dad and I asked him [about staging the photos] he said, 'No, absolutely not,'”

I said, 'I just need you to tell me and if you tell me the truth, we can help,' and he wasn't able to do that," Meghan said. "And that, for me, has really resonated, especially now as a mother."

"I look at Archie, I think about this child [on the way], and I genuinely can't imagine doing anything to intentionally cause pain to my child. I can't imagine it. So it's hard for me to reconcile that."
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Of course Thomas Markle going to the media didn’t help matters, but I'm still surprised that there has been no reconciliation. Especially since the Sussexes engaged in the same behavior they condemned Thomas for (not being truthful, and repeatedly going to the media to trash family). I honestly wonder how the Sussexes justify profiting from family drama, while still being upset about Thomas Sr. doing the same.
 
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soapstar said:
We actually do know the story about the estrangement. Meghan’s told her side of the story numerous times. She talked about it in the Oprah interview, Harry wrote about it in his book, and they discussed it again in the Netflix documentary. The estrangement stemmed from the staged paparazzi photos and the ensuing drama that followed.



Of course Thomas Markle going to the media didn’t help matters, but I'm still surprised that there has been no reconciliation. Especially since the Sussexes engaged in the same behavior they condemned Thomas for (not being truthful, and repeatedly going to the media to trash family). I honestly wonder how the Sussexes justify profiting from family drama, while still being upset about Thomas Sr. doing the same.
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I have always thought the staged photographs prior to the wedding was an act of an upset confused man, who had suddenly been thrown into a massive goldfish bowl without any real warning or understanding of what was going on. They were innocent , a man reading a book, or being measured for a suit.
It is alright Meghan or Harry saying that they offered help and he refused but the poor man had absolutely no idea what was going to engulf him.
The interviews after the wedding were desperation on his part, he wanted to see his daughter and she was ignoring him, it was a public plea to her, probably not wise but desperate people are not always wise.
All he has ever said was how much he loved his daughter and missed her.
When you consider what they have said and done, some of which we know was false, they are total hypocrites. Her father will only have so many scares then it will be too late.
How many staged photographs have we had from Meghan,
I am not overly impressed with the brother and sister but Samantha warned the British public in a morning television interview at the time of the wedding, her words were Meghan destroyed our family she will destroy the royal family. There you go.
 
Hallo girl said:
I have always thought the staged photographs prior to the wedding was an act of an upset confused man, who had suddenly been thrown into a massive goldfish bowl without any real warning or understanding of what was going on. They were innocent , a man reading a book, or being measured for a suit.
It is alright Meghan or Harry saying that they offered help and he refused but the poor man had absolutely no idea what was going to engulf him.
The interviews after the wedding were desperation on his part, he wanted to see his daughter and she was ignoring him, it was a public plea to her, probably not wise but desperate people are not always wise.
All he has ever said was how much he loved his daughter and missed her.
When you consider what they have said and done, some of which we know was false, they are total hypocrites. Her father will only have so many scares then it will be too late.
How many staged photographs have we had from Meghan,
I am not overly impressed with the brother and sister but Samantha warned the British public in a morning television interview at the time of the wedding, her words were Meghan destroyed our family she will destroy the royal family. There you go.
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100% Agree.

When you reaching the end of your natural life you want closure. Either because you are up there in years and think how many more I have left or you have a condition like her father, or King Charles, where you no longer make plans but have your family prepare.

Yes there has to be more in the background we don't know but at what point she can snap out of it and give the man some closure. How can a person whose current life was fabricated by a marriage, get on a stage and blab about female empowerment, social justice, protecting children, and home made jams and wine while being so cold too a parent asking for her forgiveness.

What's the plan here? Wait until he's gone then get on an Oprah royal follow-up and talk to him out of an Ouija Board? She's been trying to turn her image around, well there's a good start by giving her father closure. There are parents you stay away from because of domestic violence or crime, was he physically abusive or worst?

All he did was fall in the media entrapment and not find a way out, yet its the same media the Sussex crave for free publicity these days to market their brands. Same thing, different tactics. As I mentioned, I feel years from now her words about it would start with "...in retrospect I feel now I should have done this then..." as she switches the conversation to some new product she made all by herself in her kitchen.
 
yukari said:
I have the same thought.

But why now? Page Six, an American media, started this so the arguments of overzealous British media hating Meghan or BRF jealous of Meghan or using Meghan as distraction over their own scandal can't be applied here. Surely Page Six can find bigger story about some Hollywood celebrities than a story of a former actress bringing home thousand dollars dress from a photoshoot, especially if it's normal practice in Hollywood.

Other than Harry's lawsuit, these past few years I tend to ignore Sussex-related story (particularly rumours and allegations), but this one caught my eyes because she's not only responding (via People), but also threatening lawsuit. So why now? Why this one, but not the previous ones?
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Might it be that the US media is tiring of Meghan?
 
An Ard Ri said:
The duke of Sussex made a surprise appearance on the Late Show With Stephen Colbert last night
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Harry "Wales". If Harry requested that introduction, and wanted to pretend to be The Prince of Wales than that's super cringe (and delusional). I suppose being introduced as King Harry is just around the corner...
HRHHermione said:
This really was just strange. I don’t understand what they were going for.
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miss whirley said:
Harry "Wales". If Harry requested that introduction, and wanted to pretend to be The Prince of Wales than that's super cringe (and delusional). I suppose being introduced as King Harry is just around the corner...
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Was he introduced as Harry Wales? Meghan needs to tell him they are Sussex now, for now.
 
Well, Harry was always quite good at playing the clown. I used to find it very refreshing and endearing in the past, when he still was a working member for the RF.
But I wasn't impressed with this performance. He's trying to showcase his comedic talent in a show.
I simply think he's underemployed. A man in his early forties, who hasn't learned a proper trade apart from military experience, has been living in a completely different world for some time now—the world of glamour and show business—with a wife who wants to be part of it.

What is he supposed to do all day? Attend a few charity events and otherwise do something nice with the children, or occasionally show up when his wife invites various celebrities and chefs to the house to promote her products?
I simply think he doesn't really know what to do with his life; he lacks purpose. After all, he's only in his early forties.

I hope for his sake that he finds something he enjoys and where he can truly dedicate himself, so that he's content.
 
soapstar said:
We actually do know the story about the estrangement. Meghan’s told her side of the story numerous times. She talked about it in the Oprah interview, Harry wrote about it in his book, and they discussed it again in the Netflix documentary. The estrangement stemmed from the staged paparazzi photos and the ensuing drama that followed.
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The fact that before their engagement/wedding Harry had never (and still never has) met his future father-in-law suggests that the relationship wasn’t that close to begin with.
 
Somebody said:
The fact that before their engagement/wedding Harry had never (and still never has) met his future father-in-law suggests that the relationship wasn’t that close to begin with.
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That is what is strange as Meghan had previously spoke about her father in a very fond manner, photographs of Thanksgiving celebrations.
 
Unfortunately, I always had the feeling that she distanced herself because she felt he wasn't presentable, just like her half-siblings. She always wanted to rise above her circumstances, to move in different circles, and some family members didn't fit in. And I have to say, the half-siblings didn't exactly come across as likeable people either. They should have kept quiet, like her mother Doria did, instead of making such nasty comments in public. The rest of the family bears some responsibility here. The father was already old at the time, and we don't know what his state of health was like. He was probably influenced by his other children and, with bad advice, further embarrassed himself publicly.

And at some point, the family relationship was so damaged that there was no going back. They simply stopped speaking to each other and only communicated through the press.

It's a real shame, and both, Harry with his family issues and Meghan with hers, are trapped in this awful situation. I always find it sad and damaging when family conflicts are played out in public like this. It only makes everything worse.
 
Somebody said:
The fact that before their engagement/wedding Harry had never (and still never has) met his future father-in-law suggests that the relationship wasn’t that close to begin with.!
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Absolutely, and you posted it before I had time to do so! I always found that so strange! In an English formal engagement - and you really can't get more formal than marrying into the BRF - the families meet each other [often they already know each other already] and then the young man asks the bride's father for his daughter's hand in marriage. Old fashioned? Yes, certainly, but it does mean the families have met each other! And perhaps that would be too much for the 'feminist' Ms Markle. Without wishing to upset her fans, looking at things from my perspective, Meghan seems to have based her career [or the last few years of it] on extracting what she can from influential men.....

I get it that Meghan finds her family relationships difficult, but even if poor old Thomas blotted his copybook for some yet-to- be unknown reason, others of Meghan's family who appeared to be blameless also failed to make the invite list - her uncle who got her the internship in Argentina, the uncle with his own church - a little unusual perhaps, but surely essentially benign? To have only her mother at a wedding is bizarre for someone seeking to present themselves as a wonderfully warm person ... and to me never has this discord been more apparent when trying to present herself as a hostess on her Holiday special. Where is the authenticity?
 
Harry on Colbert was kind of funny, and I think Stephen has some genuine liking/sympathy for him, but it’s clear that whatever humor and enthusiasm Harry has around people, it doesn’t translate very well to the stage — he came off nervous despite or because of the huge, enthusiastic audience. They gave him some good lines, though!
 
Somebody said:
True but for some reason she seems to have started to distance herself from her father after meeting Harry.
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Follows a pattern, she distanced herself from all her friends including the one that set up the date. Then her mother's side of the family that, from pictures, were part of her life when her mother Doria was on her own. It feels she discards people back and forth once their usage has reached a limit. Even her 'sponsor' Tyler Perry got into her has been circles the moment he was on negative news.

We all know people like her in our work lives or within the family. When age, looks fade, fame is gone and fortune drains, reality kicks in like a mule. All you have left is a family that doesn't trust your intentions, friends that have moved on and away from you, and regret.

Was it worth it? To dispose friendships and family like used make up towels? I think not, once this social climbing makeup is removed all you have left is the reality you tried to cover up.
 
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