Can there be a happy ever after for the Duchess and her father?
TO MANY, Thomas Markle’s appearance on television this week displayed what can only be described as manipulation and emotional abuse under the guise of concern and love.
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 family members isn’t usually a decision that is easy, nor is it ever made lightly. It’s often a choice that is made after years of constant issues and hurt.
Of course, there is an enormous stigma about cutting people out of your life. But doing it under a constant spotlight after marrying 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 family member out.
In Meghan’s case, it’s probably because he disrespected the life she has now chosen, making her entry into the life of a royal more difficult.
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 once sent to him.
His decision sparked a backlash with critics pleading with him to hold his counsel.
But whether the holiday season has taken its effect on me already, it was difficult not to feel sorry for the ageing pensioner as he spoke on Good Morning Britain about how he is now facing Christmas alone.
This is the first one he hasn’t received a card from his little girl, and it is clearly breaking his heart.
For a man once told by Meghan “Daddy, because you have always been so generous with me, and taken the best care of me, it brings me so much joy to be able to give you this, this Christmas. I love you to the end, Meg,” the bitter pill has still not been swallowed.
As he appeared on TV, the pain he felt was hard to watch.
“I have been trying to reach out for several weeks, every day I try to text her, but haven’t received anything back,” he said.
“There has to be a place for me – I’m her father and will be the grandfather of her children.”
When he was asked about what he hoped for, he sadly responded: “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 never-ending pantomime.
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 increasingly cast as the evil villain of the piece.
It was never going to be a fairytale.
The speed with which Harry and Hollywood star Meghan met, got engaged, married and became expectant parents caused concern among royal watchers.
But after initially being seen as a glamorous actress who could follow in the footsteps of Princess Diana, Meghan is now being painted by some 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 “downright rude” to staff and emailing aides at 5am with orders, have seen a shift in the public perception around her.
Whether they are true or not, we don’t know, but I don’t doubt they may have some merit as well as a degree of malice too.
However, the bottom line is ‘Duchess Difficult’ as she has become known, is breaking her father’s heart.
Cutting her father out of her life may eventually blow up in Meghan’s face, adding to growing concerns she is no Snow White who has found her Prince Charming. WHILE Donald Trump and his cronies throw countless holiday parties, for the family of tiny Jakelin Caal Maquin there is no Christmas cheer.
The sevenyear-old died from cardiac arrest caused by severe dehydration and shock a day after she and her father turned themselves in to border protection officers on the Us/mexico border in New Mexico, hoping for a better life in the States.
According to the Trump administration, her death was her and her dad’s fault, despite admitting the youngster was put on a bus for 90 minutes to be transferred to a larger border station for processing before getting any emergency medical care for her symptoms.
Jakelin’s loss, which is under investigation, underlines the Trump administration’s hard-line on immigration.
Hogan Gidley, the White House deputy press secretary, said the US government shouldered no responsibility for the little girl’s death.
“Does the administration take responsibility for a parent taking a child on a trek through Mexico to get to this country? No,” he snapped.
Jakelin and her dad are just like thousands of others, simply in search of a better life. Nothing more.
They are risking their lives making punishing treks through Mexico to escape poverty, violence or both in their home countries.
The travesty is that Trump doesn’t want you to see them in that light.
He just wants you to see all those crossing the border, including a seven-year-old, as crime lords and terrorists.