Bride’s outspoken half-sister still seeks own role

Samantha Grant hasn’t been invited ... but hasn’t given up hope of an audience with newly-weds

SHE has orchestrated a string of critical interviews, refused a Palace plea for her discretion, and claimed responsibility for the photoshoot that brought the royal wedding into the headlines for all the wrong reasons.

But Meghan Markle’s estranged halfsister has not yet given up hope of seeing the bride in person for her wedding.

Samantha Grant, whose father is yet to confirm whether or not he will be at Ms Markle’s wedding to Prince Harry, has said she would still like to give a “sentimental” wedding present to the couple in person, despite not being invited to Windsor Castle.

Thomas Markle, her father, is allegedly undergoing medical treatment for a heart condition which, in the most recent of many pronouncements, he has said will leave him unable to travel to walk his daughter down the aisle.

Kensington Palace has not commented on the claims, with observers left mystified over this week’s rapidly developing events.

Yesterday, Doria Ragland, Ms Markle’s mother, flew into London to be by her daughter’s side, in a planned trip that now takes on extra resonance.

Ms Ragland will provide welcome support for the bride-to-be, whose paternal family have caused major disruption this week. She will meet the Queen, Duke of Edinburgh, Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall and Duke and Duchess of Cambridge ahead of the wedding, and is expected to go alone instead of with her ex-husband.

Ms Grant, meanwhile, undertook another round of media interviews, in which she appeared on Australian television and spoke directly to TMZ.

Asked whether the Palace had ever requested her discretion during an appearance on Sunrise television, Ms Grant disclosed: “Early in the year, we were asked not to speak to the public, but I’m pretty adamant about it.”

Referring to Ms Markle, she told TMZ: “There’s something in this country called freedom of speech. She doesn’t have a copyright on that and she’s not going to tell me that I can’t speak about my own life and my

‘This is not Great Britain and I am a US citizen and she’s way out of her league by telling me I can’t speak’

father’s when it’s a matter of public self-defence.

“This is not Great Britain and I am a United States citizen and she’s way out of her league by telling me I can’t speak.” Ms Grant, along with her brother, Thomas Markle Jr, have not been invited to the wedding on Saturday and no longer have any relationship with Ms Markle.

Last night, the Markle family offered a further flurry of updates. TMZ reported that Mr Markle had been in touch to say his heart surgery had been completed, while Ms Grant accused Kensington Palace of abandoning him.

TMZ also claimed Ms Grant had suffered a broken ankle and fractured knee in what her boyfriend called a “paparazzi confrontation” in Florida.