Cutting off her dad Meghan trouble for Duchess Difficult...
To many Thomas Markle’s TV appearance this week displayed what can only be described as manipulation and emotional abuse.
Following his multiple publicity stunts leading up to Meghan’s wedding to Prince Harry in May, his daughter has cut off all contact with him despite his numerous apologies. Casting off toxic relatives is never easy but doing it under a constant spotlight while being married into one of the world’s most watched and critiqued families is impossible to imagine.
There is a litany of reasons why someone might cut a relative out.
In Meghan’s case, it’s probably because he disrespected the life she has now chosen putting at threat her entry into the royal family.
Only two weeks ago Mr Markle opened up the doors of his Mexican home to show the scrapbooks containing the cards and letters his daughter sent.
It was difficult not to feel sorry for the ageing pensioner as he spoke on Good Morning Britain about facing Christmas alone.
This is the first he hasn’t received a card from his little girl, and it is clearly breaking his heart.
He said: “I have been trying to reach out for several weeks, every day I try to text her, but haven’t received anything back.
“There has to be a place for me – I’m her father and will be the grandfather of her children. All families, royal or otherwise, are the same and should be together at the holidays.”
He looked completely lost while bereft of ideas of how to gain back the daughter he once held so close. The year-long saga has been like a neverending pantomime that hasn’t even reached the interval.
On one side is ailing Markle, growing weary in his dotage as he suffers ill health. On the other is his daughter, married into royalty, who is by the week being increasingly cast as the evil villain.
It was never going to be a fairy tale. The speed in which Harry and Hollywood star Meghan met, got engaged, married and became expectant parents caused concern
But after initially being seen as a glamorous actress who could follow in the footsteps of Princess Diana, Meghan is now painted as the jealous queen from Snow White.
Claims she made Kate cry over Princess Charlotte’s bridesmaid dress, diva demands for air fresheners at her wedding, being “rude” to staff and emailing aides at 5am with orders have seen a public perception shift.
Whether they are true or not, “Duchess Difficult”, as she is now known, is breaking her father’s heart
What can only now be called a callous cutting off may eventually blow up in Meghan’s face adding to the growing fear that she is no Snow White who has just met her Prince Charming.
It was hard not to feel sorry for the ageing pensioner