Prince Harry brutal comment about Meghan Markle's family that 'increased rift'

Edinburgh Live

13-05-2025

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Meghan Markle has long been estranged from her father, and the 80-year-old has yet to meet his grandchildren, Archie, six, and three year old Lilibet, or his son-in-law in person.
Prince Harry, too, is well-known for his severed ties with the Royal Family. He faced allegations of increasing the divide between Meghan and her relatives following an interview he gave in 2017.
During a conversation with Radio 4 before their 2018 wedding, Harry was questioned about any family traditions he had to explain to Meghan. "Plenty," he responded, "We've got one of the biggest families that I know of and every family is complex as well. She's done an absolutely amazing job."
He went on to say: "She's getting in there and it's the family, I suppose, she's never had."
Harry's comments did not go down well with Meghan's family. In their book 'Finding Freedom', authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand said: "Harry's comment only heightened the already tenuous family dynamic and foreshadowed what was to come."
As reported by the Mirror, reacting to Harry's words, Meghan's half-sister Samantha posted on X (formerly Twitter): "Actually she has a large family who were always there with her and for her. Our household was very normal and when dad and Doria divorced, we all made it so it was like she had two houses. No one was estranged, she was just too busy."
Samantha later confirmed in the 2019 Channel 5 documentary Meghan And The Markles: A Family At War that Harry's comment had hurt the family. She said: "The first thing I thought was: 'I don't think Harry has been given the full story'. Something was not right. Though we weren't the classic family together on schedule for every holiday, we were family.
"Then we questioned why... why would she be embarrassed about her family? Why would you need to set the stage differently? It was starting to feel like she wasn't reaching out to the family."
It comes after it was revealed that Thomas is now living in a £500-a-month high-rise flat on the densely populated island of Cebu in the Philippines. The former Hollywood lighting director now resides more than 7,000 miles away from his daughter.
He is being cared for by Meghan's older half-brother, Thomas Jr, 58, as he adjusts to life in his new tropical home. But he is said to be 'struggling' to cope in Cebu's punishing climate, where temperatures this week reached 33C with humidity levels approaching 90 per cent.
"There are only two types of weather in Cebu: hot and humid, and hot and humid and raining. It's brutal even for men half his age, but it's still sad to see him looking as though he's struggling," a source told The Mirror.
Thomas Markle has been seen using a walking stick to get around the challenging terrain near his residence, and was captured in a photo sitting by himself in scorching temperatures outside a supermarket the day following Archie's sixth birthday.
(Image: Steve Parsons -)
His son, Thomas Jr, has revealed plans for a tell-all book about their family, including recollections of Meghan's early years. He said: "When my book is finished, ooh it'll be swooped up real quick cos it's getting there. I'm working on it. It's coming out."
He anticipates the book will be a hit and hopes it might lead to a documentary. He added: "It's gonna be good. I really want to maybe spin off the book, then when the book gets read, the documentary will follow. I'm not a greedy person, it's not about the money, it's about the principle."
He acknowledged the financial benefits of publishing a book but insisted it's not his primary motivation. Speaking about his relocation to the Philippines with his father, Thomas Jr added in an online video: "Everybody wants the book. I now have dedicated time. It's not easy moving."