CAMILLA’S SECRET CALLS TO MEGHAN’S DAD
THE DUCHESS OF CORNWALL AND MEGHAN’S FATHER HAVE STRUCK UP A TACTICAL FRIENDSHIP
It’s the family feud that continues to cast a shadow over Meghan’s life as a newlywed: her father Thomas Markle’s ongoing outbursts about their relationship and her royal life.
But shockingly, a palace insider has revealed to New Idea that Meghan, 37, recently learnt the mastermind behind the continuing drama is none other than the Duchess of Cornwall.
‘Poor Meghan is reeling,’ discloses the source. ‘She feels totally betrayed and doesn’t know who to trust.
‘As everyone knows, Meghan and her dad have been at loggerheads. But Meghan did manage to speak to her father a few days ago on the phone and he blurted out that he had been talking to Camilla. And he made it clear she had been saying uncomplimentary things about Meghan.’ The source claims Camilla has been calling Thomas regularly in the past few months.
‘Meghan was horrified when she heard what her dad was saying. He has been in a confused state of mind just lately, but he was absolutely crystal clear about Camilla,’ they added.
‘The trouble is, things have been so bad with her father there was nothing Meghan could say to make him see sense and believe her, not Camilla. Now she fears Camilla may have driven a wedge between them forever.’
Last week Thomas attempted to justify his reasons for talking to the press, telling The Sun newspaper: ‘All I was doing was saying things I wanted to say. I just want to re-establish the relationship with my daughter.’
The 74-year-old also made it clear he knew he’d overstepped the mark, admitting their relationship was probably over as a result of his behaviour, saying: ‘I don’t expect to see her or hear back from her – and that’s OK.’
Thomas also told of a heated conversation with Prince Harry after the May wedding, during which he felt his son-in-law was scolding him for talking to the press. ‘I felt disrespected by them,’ Meghan’s dad explained. ‘I was recovering from a heart attack, lying in a bed, having a phone call, and the things were being said that hurt me. I felt like I was being blamed for my mistakes...’
In The Mail On Sunday he recalled telling Harry: ‘“Maybe it would be better for you guys if I was dead... you could pretend to be sad.” Then I hung up.’
Now Meghan is bracing for another member of her family to behave badly in public, with news her half-sister Samantha Grant could be a surprise contestant on the UK’S Celebrity Big Brother.
However, Meghan still hopes to rebuild her relationship with Thomas despite reports she wants to ‘take time out’ for now.
‘For all the problems between them, Meghan loves her dad and has sleepless nights worrying about him. She’d do anything for them to be close again, especially as he’s not in good health. She would love for them to spend time together and for him to be a part of her new life in London.’
Meghan turned to Harry for help and he played sleuth, approaching Prince Charles and royal courtiers to find out what was going on. ‘There have been whispers around the palace that Camilla took it upon herself to call Thomas weeks before the wedding – in the hope that she could dig up some dirt that might cause Harry to break off the engagement,’ says the source.
‘And it seems she has been calling him ever since, even sending him bottles of his favourite whiskey as thank you presents. Word is they’ve been getting on like a house on fire.’
When Harry confronted Camilla, she denied everything.
‘She did admit, however, that she had called Thomas “once or twice”, but insisted she was simply trying to play peacemaker between Meghan and her dad. But Meghan has told her dad to stop talking to Camilla... and she’s praying that he listens to her for once.’