Meghan's father and photographer in photo scam

Sorry but I had to laugh at one post on a thread about him on Facebook . The person commenting said " That poor man he is so venerable " .

Uninterested in whether he comes or doesn’t, but was pleased to see someone up-thread talk of escorting her to the church rather than the twee ‘walk her up the aisle’. What self-respecting woman of 33 wants that said of her in the 21st century? Grates every time I hear it.

There is no royal protocol in a wedding , same service as in any town or village church in England . If blame must be laid at anyone’s feet , surely Harry , he knows how the press and paparazzi behave He could have met the father, warned him of the problems , at the engagement he said he had never met her father.

I think it's all very sad. Poor Meghan must be mortified by the behaviour of her step sister. It was she who arranged the photo shoot to try to show her father in a better light. Mr Markle values his privacy, and his daughter should have left things alone. The paparazzi are the people at fault here, for taking photos of him in the first place. He is just an ordinary man, going about his business. I don't get dressed up to go to the local shop, so why should he?
I take my hat off too him for deciding not to come to the wedding, but it is sad that he will not be able to walk his daughter down the aisle. It was one of my DF's proudest moments.
I agree with what others have said though, about the Royal Family and Royal protocol. Surely someone might have been sent out to brief the family on what to expect, and how to react to photographers and journalists.
I hope Prince Harry and Meghan have a wonderful day, and can put all the nonsense to one side.
I also wish them both health and happiness, and a long and happy, and fruitful marriage.

Two 30 somethings, very much in love but coming from different 'sides of the track'. Totally different family backgrounds. This scenario is not unusual. I wish them a long and very happy marriage. Once Saturday is over they can concentrate on their relationship.

Not speaking about your daughter on tv is not kowtowing to royalty, it’s respecting your daughters privacy.

I am fed up with it, they are minor royals ,only two moves away from Beatrice . I heard it being called ‘the wedding of the century’ this morning , yuck.

I'm confused.

On the one hand we have people saying the RF should not be treated as being different to everyone else and on the other hand the family of someone marrying into the RF being castigated because they should know better than to do whatever because they are marrying into the RF.

trisher Thanks. Yes it is a Hollies song. Showing my age now!!

Well Oprah may well be be a highly respected television interviewer, but it is still incredibly tacky for the mother to agree to go on her show. You just don't DO that when your daughter is marrying into Royalty; surely that's obvious?

Now it is said the half sister persuaded the father to participate in the fake photos in an attempt to show him in a better light!

Well that failed spectacularly didn't it?

The whole family sound a complete nightmare. Only time will tell of course how the bride turns out, but the omens aren't good.

I love Oprah but does anyone really want their mum to go on international TV and talk about them??

Why will she be "affronted"*muffinthemoo*? She an actress she's made her living from TV and film....its a natural habitat to MM ...Oprah is a well respected woman of colour in an otherwise male white world where TV is concerned .The mother couldn't be on a better programme .Its no body's business anyway what she does.she doesn't have to kowtow to royalty ...America got rid of them a couple of hundred years ago didn't they ?

Megan and Harry are above criticism !

JenniferEccles Love it! Isn't your name a song by the Hollies?

I feel sorry for him, he’s not going to be at the wedding now and it must be a big disappointment to him and Meghan.

I feel bad for her too because I don’t think her family have been told what’s expected of them. The Middletons never do anything to embarrass Kate.

Is it true Meghan’s mum is going on Oprah?? Meghan will be affronted

I think it was beneath the dignity of a national newspaper to stir up drama the week before a royal wedding

Well we live in this new modern world of media spies unfortunately and any news story is chased and publicised. The rules of engagement (no pun intended) have changed, for the worse.

Mr Markle was stupid to arrange mock situations and
agree to the sale of photos from them. His daughter is about to appear on the world stage when she marries a Prince. What on earth was he thinking?

It was a stupid move. No two ways about it, but I do feel sorry for him. I agree that Harry has to take some blame. They have had nearly two years in which to arrange an informal meeting. He is about to become his FIL by means of marriage in a vast Castle chapel yet he hasn't met him and ALL Harry's relatives are upper crust and stuffy protocol is the way they do relationships. Poor bloke...tea with the Queen when he doesn't even know Harry?

What an ordeal from a man who has valued his privacy and not exploited his family tie to Meghan (unlike his ghastly family.)

It is all very soap-opera-ish. But it will all be forgotten and M&H will be the world's darlings come Saturday evening.

They'll be let off the hook for shameful disregard for her father and the distress it's caused him, imo. It all could have been so different.

Me too muffin. I wonder if there would have been this amount of indignation and bile if he was marrying a young virginal British aristocrat?

There’s a nasty tone to some of the media coverage about Meghan.

I think it was beneath the dignity of a national newspaper to stir up drama the week before a royal wedding but what do I know

I hope they have a nice day anyway

Thomas Markle must be incredibly naive if he thought
his little photo stunt wouldn’t be rumbled.

Whatever you might think of the Royal family, he has very publicly embarrassed his daughter. She must be mortified.

We can but hope the ex husband doesn’t start talking

trisher Yes, and then the Queen would stand up, put on her best Barbara Windsor voice and say "Get out of my castle!"

Well it’s her family, her wedding , her choice

I would have if I hadn't seen or spoken to them for years!

Several of DH's uncles were not invited (they also lived in another country) also several of my cousins who I hadn't seen since school days. As I said there was no ill feeling and they all sent congratulatory telegrams.

Oh now I want him to fly in and scream as she walks down the aisle "You can't marry him. I'm your daddy!" This really is worse than the worst soap story lines.

Oldwoman, did you leave out uncles, aunts, brother ,sister, cousins , an entire family, no room in St.George’s Chapel?

Anniebach We had to decide not to invite some people to our wedding, simply because everyone would not fit in the church or the reception venue and I know plenty of people who had the same problem. Those left off were people we hadn't seen for some time and who we only exchanged Christmas cards with - and there was no bad feeling.

I haven't heard that Meghan hasn't spoken to her father in years, although I have read that she hasn't spoken to several of her extended family - why would they expect an invite?

Is he, isn't he? Will he, won't he?
Well as of today, he isn't coming.

Now, did he fall or was he pushed? My guess he was gently, politely, advised that it probably wouldn't be a good idea for him to come.

After all, the man is a liability, a loose cannon who has proved that he can't be trusted..

He has been in cahoots with the paparazzi once, so what's to say he wouldn't pull another similar stunt at the wedding? I'm sure the Palace felt they couldn't take the risk.

Meghan must be mortified at his behaviour.