Thomas Markle, the father of Meghan Markle, regrets not being present at his daughter's wedding to Prince Harry in Windsor in May 2018. In a documentary aired on Channel 5, the retired lighting director said that he was actually jealous of Prince Charles.
The Prince of Wales took over for Thomas and marched his daughter down the aisle in their grand royal wedding. Thomas admitted that he cried as he watched the royal wedding on television in a safe house where the media could not get to him.
Thomas also said that he was appreciative that Prince Charles stepped up in his place. The 75-year-old dad said he really wanted to be at his daughter's wedding but complicated details prevented him from doing so.
Days leading up to Prince Harry and Meghan's big royal wedding, Thomas suffered a heart attack and was advised against traveling to London. Prior to this, Thomas and Prince Harry had a long conversation over the fact that Meghan's dad paid off paparazzi to follow him as he prepared for the wedding.
Thomas' decision unsettled and upset the royal family. Prince Harry apparently reprimanded him for making such a deal with the press. He offered to personally apologize to the royal family but Prince Harry turned it down.
The Duke of Sussex apparently told his soon-to-be father-in-law at that time that he should have listened to him and avoided the stress. Days later, Thomas was banned from the royal wedding.
Meanwhile, Prince Charles and Meghan became close as she adjusted to the royal life. The Prince of Wales apparently had a fond nickname for the Duchess of Sussex.
Prince Charles called Meghan "tungsten" after the indestructible metal. It was said to be a term of endearment as the royal was impressed with his daughter-in-law's strong and unbending strength.
Ironically, it was this very character that has now divided Prince Harry from the royal family. Prince Charles apparently felt betrayed and let down by Prince Harry and Meghan because they were insistent on changing their royal roles and declared that they will no longer be senior members of the royal family.
Prince Harry and Meghan are now living in Canada with their son Archie for the unforeseeable future. The Duke and Duchess will also no longer be asked to represent the Queen in official royal events. Prince Charles, however, is expected to bankroll the Sussex royals' living arrangements while in Canada for at least a year.
