OUT OF THE PICTURE
Meg foto-scandal dad to skip nups
It’s the royal brush-off. Meghan Markle’s dad will not attend her wedding to Prince Harry on Saturday after he was caught on Sunday selling staged paparazzi photos of himself ahead of the big day, according to a new report.
Thomas Markle is bowing out of the royal nuptials so he doesn’t embarrass his daughter over the debacle, TMZ reported Monday.
Kensington Palace said in a statement, “This is a deeply personal moment for Ms. Markle in the days before her wedding. She and Prince Harry ask again for understanding and respect to be extended to Mr. Markle in this difficult situation.”
Thomas, 73, also claimed to TMZ that he had a heart attack six days ago, but had checked himself out of the hospital in anticipation of walking Meghan down the aisle.
The American actress’ dad was caught secretly collaborating with a British paparazzo to take “candid” photos of him preparing for the wedding — with posed snaps of Thomas being fitted for his suit and reading up on UK landmarks.
Reports said he raked in more than $100,000 for the phony photo shoot, but Thomas told TMZ the figure wasn’t anywhere near that high.
He acknowledged that the photos were “stupid and hammy” but claimed he was just trying to rehabilitate his image in the media before the wedding, because paps kept publishing real snaps of him looking like a schlub.
In particular, he said photos of him out buying beer in Mexico, where he lives, made him look bad, when he was actually buying the brews for his guards.
Earlier Monday, his other daughter, Samantha Markle — Meghan’s half-sister — took the blame for the decision.
“The bad press over my father doing staged photos is my fault,” Samantha tweeted, according to the Daily Mail.
“The media was unfairly mak- ing him look bad so I suggested he do positive photos for his benefit and the benefit of the royal family,” Samantha wrote.
Thomas is a former TV lighting director who worked on shows including “Married with Children” and “General Hospital.”
He and Meghan’s mom, Doria Ragland, divorced in 1987, when the future “Suits” star was 6 years old.
Ragland and Meghan will spend the night together before the actress ties the knot Saturday at a five-star country estate called Cliveden House. Harry will bunk down at Cowarth Park, a swanky hotel near Windsor Castle, The Sun reports.