Real reason Meghan Markle's dad swerved wedding - and photo scandal wasn't to blame

It has been years since Meghan, Duchess of Sussex had an active relationship with her father, Thomas Markle Senior. The Duchess has previously opened up about the fact that she "grieves" their once-close dynamic, and Thomas has never even met her two children: Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four.

The trouble between the father and daughter began during the build-up to Prince Harry and Meghan's wedding. As the couple prepared to tie the knot under a glaring spotlight, Thomas posed for papparazzi photographs, getting his suit for the big day fitted.

The paid shots quickly became a point of controversy, and coupled with serious health issues Thomas was struggling with, were said to be the reason he didn't show up for Meghan's big day, leaving King Charles to walk her half way down the aisle instead.

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However, a royal insider has revealed that there was one major reason why Thomas did not travel from his then-home in Mexico to Windsor to watch his daughter get married - and they claim it has nothing to do with the now-infamous pap shots.

In a new report by royal expert Sally Bedell Smith published on her Substack, Royal Extra, one of the late Queen's closest confidantes revealed the real reason why Thomas was a no-show on what was one of the biggest days of Meghan's life.

Lady Elizabeth Anson - the late Queen's cousin and close friend - told Bedell Smith over the course of conversations they shared that fundamentally Thomas's motivation for staying away from the high-profile and glitzy proceedings, which had a myriad of A-listers in attendance, was because he was "frightened".

Lady Elizabeth claimed that plans had been in motion for Thomas to attend, with an accessibility plan for St George's Chapel already in place to help accommodate him - Thomas "didn't do steps" due to health issues, so he was due to enter through a side door.

However, he was simply "frightened of coming to the wedding" in the end, Lady Elizabeth claimed.

Meghan has revealed since the big day and the couple's royal exit two years later, that she found out that her father wouldn't be at her wedding through the press, and found communicating with him directly to be difficult in the build-up to the nuptials.

She was horrified when her father took part in and was paid for the papparazzi photoshoot - as was her mother, Doria Ragland. In Harry and Meghan's self-titled Netflix documentary, Doria said she was "absolutely stunned" by her ex's actions, adding, "as a parent, that's not what you do. That's not parenting."