Meghan's father cried over missing royal wedding

The father of Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, has spoken about his grief at being unable to walk his daughter down the aisle to wed Prince Harry in Windsor Castle last month.

Thomas Markle said he cried as he watched his former actress daughter's wedding on television in a small rented hideout in California and felt “jealous” that Prince Charles got to perform the role of walking by his daughter.

"I absolutely wanted to walk my daughter down the aisle… The unfortunate thing for me now is I'm a footnote to the greatest moment in history rather than the dad who walked his daughter down the aisle. That upsets me somewhat," he told ITV's ‘Good Morning Britain' in a video interview from the US, reports PTI. “I was honoured, I can't think of a better replacement than someone like Prince Charles. I was thrilled to tears he was doing that, I just wish it had been my hand holding hers not his," he said.

The 73-year-old, who says he is still recovering from his heart surgery, said he got to know Prince Harry over the telephone before giving his blessing to their marriage following their engagement in November last year. He said, "Meghan told me first and then a few times after that Harry got on the phone with her and asked for her hand over the phone. I said you're a gentleman, promise me you'll never raise a hand against my daughter and of course I give you my permission".

Describing his new son-in-law, the sixth-in-line to the British throne, as a “great” and “interesting guy”, Markle said Harry “made a great pick” in his daughter, who has been a “princess since the day she was born”.