Thomas Markle programme

Our children owe us nothing. We shouldn't remind them of what we've done for, or given them.

The family are the only ones who know the truth, everything else is speculation, hearsay , & scandalmongering

9pm Itv Inside the crown, secrets of the Royals, they are using archives & stories from Happiness to Heartbreak ....

Private schooling and paying for things and providing doesn't at mean that everything was rosy in the Markle home.

It all sounds pretty dysfunctional to me, which tends to affect those bought up in those circumstances.

In the film Thomas M was stupid and gullible. That bit about him being measured for clothing was toe- curling.

Thomas is found to be unsuited to being the Duchess's father after his paparazzi sins. I would have wished at least one of the royal family could have found it in their heart to befriend him. Estrangement is not a fate to be wished on anyone, and being embarassingly stupid and common is not such a desperately bad fault.

Yes! But he was going to give her away before he stupidly did the stunt with the photographer in the Computer Shop.
So, I can't see these theories that he may have been an abusive Charmer quite fit here.
Quite honestly, I think he's just an old guy but used to Hollywood standards of what is acceptable with the press and he made a mistake and he's fed up, wants to put his side of how their early life was and how close they were.
I also think that she is ashamed of him, which is despicable. They should have helped him when he told them he couldn't cope with the Press and helped to made him look the part for her Wedding.
Then probably, none of this estrangement would have happened.
Hindsight is a marvellous thing!

ayokunmil Whatever her reasons people are entitled to decide that they don't want certain people in their lives. Continuing to go to the press everytime he gets the opportunity and now a 90 minute documentary is clearly a form of harrassment even if he were the nicest person in the world. He won't let go and it is a human being he is cleeving to. She doesn't publically mention him so there is nothing she can do about his behaviour.

Before me and my mother estranged I would have told you everything was perfect. The family photos certainly looked perfect. Things weren't perfect at all but I was conditioned to maintain the family image. There was a lot of shaming and a lot of "what will the neighbours think" and a lot of "you are the only problem in this family". I didn't realise the truth till I was nearly 40. Abusive people are charismatic quite often. Not saying that is the case here but these things can be very complex x

Stalkerish my gosh my gosh ..pray this sort of bereavement never happens to you.
To put it in a nutshell she is ashamed of who she is where shes from.
Society crawler, climber.
This happens a lot just not to this magnitude as they are in the public eye.

icanhandthemback Well said. My father was a charismatic who everyone thought my mother was lucky to have married including her own parents.
It used to upset me that people just accepted his view of me and took me a long time to realise that he was only really nasty when no one else was around and he was the dutiful father when they were.
He would have been prepared for that interview and he seems to be a professional victim rather than a charmer. Even if he were the nicest man in the world, if someone doesn't want to be with you, that is their choice. There is something stalkerish about his behaviour.

Well it's all very confusing .With last night's interview,Meghans insta posts when it would seem diplomatic to lie low for a good few days.Him revealing her letter.Not good.And if so why only parts of it ?Are they both as bad as each other in some ways.Again just sad.
But I have just stumbled on YouTube of Princess Anne being interviewed by Parkinson about her attempted kidnap .I'd forgotten about that.And then one with Terry Wogan which she looked to really enjoy,Someone with both a sense of duty and a sense of humour.So that'll do me for royalty tonight!

Two positive posts from icanhandthemback. Thanks to her for using her personal experience to spell out why a young adult/child may speak positively about a parent, despite difficulties or abusive behaviour in the past. Also, why the same person in adult life may decide to distance themselves,or stop contact. I'm not suggesting TM was an abusive father when M lived with him but his behaviour in recent years has been awful.

I watched the programme and was saddened to see how similar his predicament is to mine, but also a lot of other GP's whose children have completely cut them out of their lives ...be they 'famous' or 'infamous' Some may have disagreed with the lifestyle, etc of their children some like ,, were simply totally cut off for no reason ….last message from my daughter said 'we are coming for a holiday;;;my reply ? brilliant, let me know when and I will meet you at the airport ...after that ...nothing ! An enquiry by me as to how the plans were going was met with a text message 'DO NOTA TEXT ME AGAIN ' ????? no reason ...14 years ago and nothing UNTIL last summer when I suddenly received photos at my house in France ….on the back 'this is my wedding' and the other'this is your grandson who is 3' ...no contact details, phone No or anything (I found her online a few years ago and have continued to send cards on her birthday and at Christmas) I can only say to myself well, I gave her everything I possibly could, unconditional love, university fees and rent paid her own car. etc etc (not that money matters I was very happy to help, and would not have expected enormous shows of gratitude etc ….but just an explanation of WHY she cut me out of her life would be good !) So all I can do is, as the letter from a parent to her daughter when she was dying states 'I wish you enough' that keeps me going ! We do not 'own' our children ..c'est la vie !

How much shielding and advice and what not does a person need to know that may be a speaking to the press about his child is a bad idea?

It really shouldn’t be rocket science that you don’t speak to the press about your child.

And also agree with icanhandghem back.

I agree with Soleil .

icanhandthemback Wise words. I hope life got better for you

?ohh I say ! Thank you.

I’m assuming that POS is a piece of ?

Well it's obvious Meghan came from a dysfunctional family so maybe that explains Harry's unkind comment in a way. That's why their leaving the royal family seems such a smack in the teeth after all the gushing about it.

I thought Thomas had been generous and loving to Meghan encouraging her in her studies and career, even giving time to help out with the scenery backstage at her school productions. The numerous photos and videos he had showed how proud he was of her. He too has had it cruelly thrown back at him, although no parent does their best for their child in search of reward.

It is sad Thomas wasn't given advice by the royals and fell prey to journalists. It is even more sad his own daughter has disowned him and poisoned Harry's perception of Thomas without ever meeting him.

What's a POS?

What is a POS Please ?

Oh a photo on the internet - well that’s ok then. And the source ? Didn’t you think it was a bit odd that no one else had brought this up? Especially MMs loving sisters. You do realise that not everything on the internet it’s true don’t you and some stories in particular benefit from a bit of triangulation. .

This is a man that feels his daughter owes him. Your children don't owe you anything when you bring them into the world and do your duty as a parent. Am I the only one who noticed how $20,000 wasn't seen as anything significant over a two year period? Why would Meghan lie about her scholarships, etc as these things can easily be checked. He admits he lies...regularly to listen to his account. Honest people don't do this and significantly, anything that absolved Meghan by his account was a lie.
I can fully understand why she would like to step back. As a younger woman she may well have been warm about her parents, especially if she knew no better, but maybe her eyes have been opened so she no longer feels that way. If he really loved her he'd shut up and hope that less said, soonest mended!

I don't read stomach churning, vomit inducing, filthy blogs suziewoozie so that may be so. Which ones have you read?

I saw a picture of her first wedding on the internet which certainly didn't fit your description - sorry.

Such concern Jane