Queen Tried to Help Meghan Make Peace with Dad & Felt Harry Made Mistake with Father-In-Law, Claims Book

Meghan Markle had a very close relationship with her father throughout her life. Before her wedding, though, this all started going awry, and Prince Harry never met Thomas Markle in person. Later, the father tried to repair the relationship and build one with his son-in-law, with a bit of help from the Queen.

Meghan Markle, the wife of Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has had an interesting life so far, and it sure won't be dull in the future. As the daughter of the Caucasian cinematographer, Thomas Markle, and the African-American mother, Doria Ragland, the Duchess has rich roots.

Since birth, Meghan had shared a very close bond with her father. He always doted on her, with her sibling remembering, "Meghan was a little princess long before she met Harry." It makes sense then that Thomas Markle tried to give his regal little one the best upbringing he possibly could.

Doria, Meghan's mother, reportedly ensured she knew where she came from, educating her on her ancestors' struggles. Her father always took her to the studios where he worked. It's no surprise then that the Duchess has a penchant for acting.

The Duchess's father soon realized she had talent and spared no expense. Despite financial problems, Thomas always sent his daughter to excellent schools. Her education started at the Little Red Schoolhouse, and she later attended the Immaculate Heart Roman Catholic girls' school.

Unfortunately, when Meghan was five, her parents decided to divorce. Although this must have been a tough time for the Duchess-to-be, her parents kept their relationships with her firm. During the week, she lived with her mother and spent weekends with her father.

Meghan decided to follow in her father's footsteps and even had his tenacity and work ethic. She ensured she could attend university in Illinois, where she studied theatre with international relations. Later, she also interned at the American embassy in Buenos Aires during her gap year.

When Harry Met Meghan

Although Thomas has been in the news recently, the 73-year-old has spent much time living a reclusive life. In the past, he has lived a solitary life. Since his daughter married a prince, the man has sunk deeper into isolation to avoid the cameras.

On occasion, though, he has spoken to media outlets, especially about walking his daughter down the aisle. Since he is so reclusive, many wondered whether he'd be there. Without revealing too much about Meghan and Harry's wedding, the father-of-three said:

"Yes. I’d love to. I’m very pleased. I’m delighted."

Before the wedding, Thomas had a tough time with financial issues. In 2016, the retired lighting technician declared bankruptcy and moved from his home in Los Angeles to a small town in Mexico. Here, he has managed to build a new life for himself. It's also here where he broke his long silence.

Although it's not the person that Meghan would have picked first, she had someone to give her away.

Unfortunately, before the wedding, Thomas had to undergo heart surgery, preventing him from giving his princess away at her wedding. Instead, he sat in his Mexico home and toasted the couple from afar. Luckily, Meghan had an appropriate replacement to walk her down the aisle.

Although the bride's father hadn't met his son-in-law in person, they had spoken on the phone a few times. The two apparently had a pleasant first interaction, talking mainly about politics. Soon after this, though, things turned sour.

Thomas Goes to the Press

Before Meghan and Harry's big day, her father, Thomas, was caught on camera, seemingly preparing for the wedding. One photo showed him browsing a book about Britain, and one showed him while browsing news about his daughter in an internet cafe. Another saw him getting in shape, and two more had him in the middle of getting fitted for his suit.

Yet, it was soon discovered that the father-of-three and a cameraman staged these snapshots. Thomas and the photographer, Jeff Rayner, could be seen in grainy CCTV footage as they met up, picked the right spots, and shot the leaked photos. This, of course, caused a fair amount of conflict between him and Meghan.

The other shots were similarly staged. Thomas could be seen going to the tailor's store and finding it closed. He quickly thought of an alternative, though. Instead, they went to the party shop next door and paid the store attendant to take measurements while Jeff took photos.

After the media debacle, the 73-year-old also had to undergo heart surgery. The cumulative effects of the conflict and the need to recuperate after his surgery meant that Thomas could not attend the wedding after all. Meghan stated how sorry she was that her father could not attend but that his health took priority.

Thomas also expressed frustration at not being there for his daughter at her wedding. He also did not send the couple a wedding gift due to his recovery from surgery. Still, he hoped to do it as soon as his recuperation allowed. When asked about the wedding, he stated:

"The service was beautiful and it's history. I will always regret not being able to be there and not being able to hold my daughter's hand."

Although it's not the person that Meghan would have picked first, she had someone to give her away. King Charles III stepped up and held his new daughter-in-law's hand as she walked down the aisle. After the wedding, Meghan sent her father a letter expressing her disappointment, but the letter was also leaked to the press.

Thomas sued the Daily Mail for publishing the letter and won the lawsuit. In the leaked letter, Meghan implored her father to stop talking to the press. She was understandably upset and wrote to the 73-year-old:

"Please stop exploiting my relationship with my husband … I realize you are so far down this rabbit hole that you feel (or may feel) there's no way out, but if you take a moment to pause I think you'll see that being able to live with a clear conscience is more valuable than any payment in the world."

Thomas also expressed his regret for his actions. He texted her after the wedding to say that he loves her. He also asked his relatives to refrain from talking to the press. While commenting on the wedding, he reminisced about his daughter growing up:

"When you watch your child get married, every thought goes through your mind, every memory from the first day she was born, the first time I held her."

Even the Queen Wanted a Reunion

Thomas repeatedly showed how sorry he was about missing her wedding and talking to the press. Even though he had never met his son-in-law, he also wanted to meet and make up for his actions before the wedding. The retired lighting director claimed:

"If I had one message for her it would be 'I love you. I miss you. I'm sorry for anything that went wrong'. If I had a message for Harry, it's 'Get over it. I'm your new father-in-law'."

Queen Elizabeth II saw how damaging the father's and daughter's rift was. She shared Thomas' hope that the families could make amends. She encouraged Meghan to speak to Thomas and sort out any lingering bad blood.

The late Queen reportedly felt that the situation could have been handled better. She also thought it was a mistake that Harry never went to Mexico to meet his new father-in-law in person. After a prolonged rift, Thomas, now 78, has still not met his son-in-law or grandchildren. Royals biographer Katie Nicholl noted:

"I think she felt that Harry should certainly have met Thomas Markle and it was unfortunate that that had to happen."

The Queen not only wanted Meghan to reunite with her father, but she also wanted the same for her own family and the now estranged Harry. Meghan's family shares this sentiment, and they all hope the conflict can be resolved peacefully.

Although the late Queen's wish for amnesty has not come to fruition yet, some hope remains. After Harry and his brother's reunion at her funeral, the Markle family remains hopeful. Meghan's half-brother, Thomas Junior, reached out with the words, "Everyone makes mistakes – it’s never too late to do the right thing."