Meghan dad’s heart op agony
SURGERY MEANS HE MAY MISS WEDDING
MEGHAN Markle’s dad is having major heart surgery today which will stop him from walking his daughter down the aisle.
Thomas, 73, had decided not to come, then changed his mind, but is pulling out again after doctors told him he must have the operation today.
He told a US website TMZ: “They will go in and clear blockage, repair damage and put a stent where it is needed.”
The op at 3.30pm UK time is a major blow after he spoke earlier of his determination to walk Meghan down the aisle.
He had managed to get past his fear of embarrassing Meghan over the “staged photos” row – after she reassured him in a text that she loved him and her sister took responsibility for the fiasco. The only fear holding him back was his health, after a heart attack.
He had even appeared ready to defy doctors, telling US website TMZ: “I hate the idea of missing one of the greatest moments in history and walking my daughter down the aisle...of course I’d walk her down the aisle.
“This is a historic moment. And I’d like to be part of history.”
Thomas said he was talking from inside the hospital after serious chest pains and doctors were performing a range of tests on him. He was told his heart was “seriously damaged” after his heart attack a week ago. But he said once doctors let him out, he would risk his health and fly to England to be with Meghan. And he said he was lobbying doctors to get out today. But that was a distant hope after news of the operation Meghan tried calling him on Monday but he was not near his phone, Thomas told TMZ. She followed up with a text telling him she loved him and was concerned about his health. He said she has no bad feelings towards him for making a deal with a paparazzi agency to stage photos of him getting ready for the wedding. This appears to have reassured him after he said he would not come, feeling ashamed over the deal.
As for the Her Majesty being upset with him, Thomas laughed and said: “I don’t think the Queen is thinking about what I’m doing.”
Thomas said he now believes the photos were not a “serious transgression”, although he called it “stupid”.
Royal aides were taken by surprise on Monday, after Thomas told the US gossip site that he was not coming.
His decision came in the wake of uproar that he had “faked” getting measured for his suit and pretended to look at a computer for news about Meghan and Harry, egged on by a
I don’t think that the Queen is thinking about what I am doing THOMAS MARKLE ON REACTION TO PHOTOS
photographer. Meghan was distressed and concerned following his decision and Kensington Palace issued a statement describing the moment as “deeply personal” and asking for “understanding and respect” for him.
He told TMZ on Monday that he had had a heart attack and didn’t want to embarrass Meghan or the royals.
Kensington Palace declined to comment further last night.
It is not clear whether Meghan heard from her father directly that he had changed his mind over the wedding before he contacted TMZ. It has been suggested that her mum Doria Ragland should walk her down the aisle. The 61-year-old social worker and yoga teacher, is already travelling to St George’s Chapel with the bride on the wedding day.
The pair are staying at the five star Cliveden House Hotel while Thomas Markle is due to stay elsewhere.
Doria is due to arrive today or tomorrow and will meet The Queen, Prince Philip, Prince Charles, Camilla and William and Kate before the ceremony on Saturday.
Meanwhile Meghan’s estranged
half-sister Samantha Markle, who is not going to the wedding, has told Good Morning Britain her father has been under an “unbelievable amount of stress”.
She said about his health: “He was really having heart pains and suffered a heart attack. It was an unbelievable amount of stress.
“By his report they were stabilising him, I think he wants to go to the hospital and get checked out. I don’t know as of today what his plans are but there’s a very real concern.
“I wanted to see him go, I didn’t want him deprived of that, but clearly the priority should be whether it’s safe for him to do that.”
Defending him over the paparazzi pictures, she said: “The goal of those photographs was basically because he was feeling defenceless.
“He’s very intelligent, he has been gregarious and worked in entertainment for 40 years, he wanted peace and quiet.”
Samantha previously took responsibility for the staged photographs, revealing she suggested to her dad that he go along with them to help his image.
Preparations for the wedding were in full swing yesterday as flowers were loaded on to a truck outside wedding florist Philippa Craddock’s depot.
The pink and white roses were destined for St George’s Chapel and St George’s Hall in Windsor Castle.
Some 100,000 people are expected in Windsor to see the couple’s procession.