Thomas Markle pleads with Meghan to end feud before 80th birthday

Thomas Markle has made a plea for his daughter, Meghan Markle, to end their feud and allow him to meet his grandchildren.

The estrangement, lasting six years, began when Thomas was caught staging paparazzi photos before Meghan's wedding to Prince Harry, leaving her upset.

As Thomas approaches his 80th birthday on 18 July, he spoke in an interview with the Daily Mail, expressing his hopes for reconciliation. "I've never been one for birthdays, but I know the one person I most want to hear from, Meghan, won't be in touch," he said.

Thomas, who has never met his grandchildren, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, expressed his desire to either meet them or at least have a picture of them. He finds it "sad" that Archie and Lilibet are "being denied the right to know their cousins" and believes they should be given the chance to develop that bond. He also mentioned that they should participate in Royal events like Trooping the Colour, calling it their "birth right."

Thomas warned that as Archie and Lilibet grow older, they will ask Meghan and Harry about their family. "It's inevitable that they will ask their parents why they have cut them off from both sides of the family?" he explained.

Drawing parallels between his situation and that of King Charles, who is also estranged from the Sussexes, Thomas expressed his "empathy" for the monarch. He suggested that Charles might have the same "unanswered questions" he does and noted that neither of them "deserves the treatment we've received."

Reflecting on his upcoming milestone, Thomas admitted he never expected to make it to 80, stating, "Markle men never do." Despite this, he remains unafraid of dying, telling the Daily Mail, "It is what it is."