Thomas Markle threatens to air Meghan Markle’s ‘dirty laundry’; Prince Harry considers legal action against the BBC
Thomas Markle has made a desperate plea to be allowed to see his granddaughter Lilibet and teased he will reveal private details in a new interview.
Royals
Don't miss out on the headlines from Royals. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Meghan Markle’s estranged father has threatened to expose her “dirty laundry” while pleading to see his granddaughter Lilibet.
The former royal apparently turned her back on her father, Thomas Markle, after he was outed for staging paparazzi shots ahead of her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018.
In a trailer for an interview with 60 Minutes Australia to air on Sunday, Mr Markle begs for forgiveness for what he calls “one dumb mistake”.
“I haven’t spoken to her (Meghan) since two days before they got married,” he says from his cliffside home south of Tijuana in Mexico.
The grandfather also reveals how he found out about Lilibet’s arrival.
“No phone calls, I just heard it on the radio,” he says.
“I’ll be very disappointed that I don’t get to hold my granddaughter.”
But then he adds: “You want dirty laundry? This is the first time I’ve ever discussed these things.”
Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor was born on June 4 at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital close to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Montecito mansion.
After news of the birth was announced on Sunday, Mr Markle told The Sun: “I’m very pleased that my daughter and my new granddaughter had a successful delivery. I wish them all my love and the best of luck.”
PRINCE HARRY THREATENS LEGAL ACTION AGAINST BBC
Prince Harry has been seen for the first time after he threatened legal action against the BBC over Buckingham Palace claims he didn’t ask the Queen’s permission to name his newborn daughter Lilibet.
The Duke of Sussex appeared in a promotional video for the Invictus Games, and simply said: “It’s time to spread the news, something big is coming in Germany.”
Prince Harry founded the event, which gives sick and injured military personnel and veterans to compete in sport, in 2014.
It is set to be held in Germany in 2023.
It comes after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle hit back after a Buckingham Palace source alleged to the BBC the Sussexes “never asked” the Queen about using her private childhood nickname.
The Sussexes responded just 90 minutes after the report was published, threatening the British broadcaster with legal action.
On Wednesday local time, Omid Scobie, the couple’s biographer and preferred spokesman, denied the source’s claim.
“The Duke spoke with his family in advance of the announcement, in fact, his grandmother was the first family member he called,” Mr Scobie told People magazine in a statement. “During that conversation, he shared their hope of naming their daughter Lilibet in her honour. Had she not been supportive, they would not have used the name.”
Friends of the Sussexes have leapt to their defence – with one quoting friends who confirmed Prince Harry spoke to “close family” ahead of the announcement.
Sources had previously suggested Buckingham Palace officials were left out of the loop – and only found out when the news was announced at 5pm (UK time) along with the rest of the world.
It wasn’t until 6.34pm local time – over an hour-and-a-half after Meghan and Prince Harry’s announcement – that the royal family released a congratulatory statement about the news with a Buckingham Palace spokesman announcing that the Queen, Prince Charles, Prince William; and other members of the family had been informed and are “delighted with the news of the birth of a daughter for The Duke and Duchess of Sussex”.
The Queen has reportedly met her newest great-grandchild via video call, but no photos of the newborn or the Sussexes accompanied the announcement.
“Thank you for your continued kindness and support during this very special time for our family,” the couple wrote in a statement that accompanied the birth announcement.
The baby is “more than we could have ever imagined, and we remain grateful for the love and prayers we’ve felt from across the globe,” they continued.
The latest fight between Prince Harry and the BBC comes just weeks after he slammed the broadcaster over its Panorama interview with Princess Diana.
A damning report by Lord Dyson found BBC journalist Martin Bashir lied to trick Princess Diana into taking part in the bombshell 1995 chat after her split from Prince Charles.
Prince Harry claimed the “culture of exploitation” took his mother’s life and said the probe is the “first step towards justice and truth.”
In a statement, the royal added: “Our mother was an incredible woman who dedicated her life to service. She was resilient, brave, and unquestionably honest.
“The ripple effect of a culture of exploitation and unethical practices ultimately took her life.
“To those who have taken some form of accountability, thank you for owning it.
“That is the first step towards justice and truth,” he said.
“Yet what deeply concerns me is that practices like these – and even worse- are still widespread today.
“Then, and now, it’s bigger than one outlet, one network, or one publication.”
“Our mother lost her life because of this, and nothing has changed.
“By protecting her legacy, we protect everyone, and uphold the dignity with which she lived her life.
“Let’s remember who she was and what she stood for.”
QUEEN MEETS BABY LILIBET
Earlier, it was reported that the Queen has reportedly met the newest royal baby via a video call.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle introduced Her Majesty to baby Lilibet after they returned home from hospital, according to a source.
The ex royals were said to be “very excited” to introduce their cherub to the Queen.
Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor – named after the Queen and Princess Diana – was born on Friday morning in a Santa Barbara hospital close to their Montecito mansion.
The couple announced the birth of their daughter on their website Archewell on Sunday night.
A source told People magazine, which has long been the publication of choice for Meghan and Harry’s close friends to share insights, the couple called the Queen after they returned home from Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital following the birth.
“They were very excited and couldn’t wait to share that their daughter arrived,” the source said.
Prince Philip, who died in April, affectionately referred to his wife of 73 years as “Lilibet”.
Lilibet’s name also serves as nod Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, who nicknamed her daughter “flower” in her youth.
MEGHAN’S ‘SECRET CALLS’ TO KATE
Meghan Markle is reported to have made “secret calls” to Kate Middleton in a bid to patch things up with the royal family.
The Duchess of Sussex is claimed to have reached out to her sister-in-law because she is her only chance of “smoothing things over” with the royals.
Meghan and Prince Harry have given a number of jaw-dropping interviews about their family in recent months, with Meghan now said to fear losing her title as a result.
“Meghan’s fearful of losing her title, and the repercussions of Harry’s statements about the royals in his recent Apple TV+ documentary with Oprah Winfrey,” a source told Heat magazine in the UK.
“She’s secretly reached out to Kate, as she knows that the only hope they can have of smoothing things over with the family is to get Kate on their side.”
The source added that Kate would rather “stay out of any ‘secret talks’” as she fears “anything she says could be used against her”.
“But,” they noted, “she wants peace and civility, especially seeing how much pain this caused Prince William, Prince Charles and the Queen.
“Her only words of wisdom for Meghan and Harry are to stop once and for all with the public outbursts.”
It comes after Meghan said in March during her interview with Oprah Winfrey that Kate made her cry.
She also spoke of how she grew to feel suicidal as a senior working royal – but wasn’t helped.
Last month, Prince Harry echoed the claims in his Apple TV show The Me You Can’t See.
He said that when he and Meghan were struggling they were refused help from the royal family.
“Certainly now I will never be bullied into silence,” the duke said.
“I thought my family would help, but every single ask, request, warning, whatever it is, just got met with total silence, total neglect.
“We spent four years trying to make it work. We did everything that we possibly could to stay there and carry on doing the role and doing the job. But Meghan was struggling.”
On Sunday, the royal family offered their congratulations to Meghan and Prince Harry following the birth of their baby daughter Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge said they were “delighted” with the new arrival and were rumoured to have sent the Sussexes a gift.
Meanwhile, experts have suggested Meghan and Harry’s decision to name their daughter after the Queen’s nickname offers an olive branch between them and the royals.
Join the conversation
Sad Charles news we didn’t want to hear
King Charles has just made a massive and sad admission, just as the very first details about his cancer treatment slip out.
Read more
Meghan offers huge clues about new brand
As controversy swirls around her unexpected rebrand, Meghan has given an insight into what her fans can expect when it launches.
Read more