Thomas Markle tells of watching Meghan Markle's 'emotional' wedding

Thomas Markle tells of watching Meghan Markle's 'emotional' wedding

Thomas Markle has implored the rest of his family to 'shut up' and stop speaking about Meghan, the royal wedding and the fact that none of them were invited. 

On Saturday, after telling TMZ - his favored outlet - that he was watching the nuptials in Windsor on television with 'joy and emotion' in the morning, he gave them another quote in the afternoon to try to silence his other two children. 

'I pray that Harry and Meghan can go on a nice honeymoon and rest and relax, and all of my relatives will just shut up about everything,' Markle Snr., who had to pull out of the wedding because of his health, said. 

Speaking proudly of Meghan, who he described as his 'beautiful baby' earlier in the day, he continued: 'My baby girl is a duchess and I love her so much.

'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.' 

He said the service at St. George's Chapel was 'beautiful' and 'history'. 

'I will always regret not being able to be there and not being able to hold my daughter's hand,' he said. 

Markle, 73, was said by the website to be in California, recovering from heart surgery.  He had told it earlier in the week that he had three stents put in after suffering a heart attack last week. 

Before the wedding, Meghan's half-brother Thomas Jr. sent numerous letters to US magazines pleading with Prince Harry to call the whole thing off. 

Her half-sister, Samantha, gave similarly scathing attacks in a number of television interviews.

Thomas Jr. has spent the week posing for photographs with British newspaper website The Mirror. 

On Friday, he said he regretted how he had treated Meghan and admitted feeling like an 'a**'.

Samantha, on the other hand, invited a TV crew round to her home in Ocala, Florida, to watch the televised service.

Her partner said she likely received a hefty sum for the stunt. 

The only member of Meghan's family who was visible at her wedding was her mother, Doria. 

She was faultless throughout the ceremony - as she has been in the months leading up to it - and watched on with pride and emotion as her daughter tied the knot. 

Doria has not given any interviews since her daughter's relationship was revealed.

Markle Sr., on the other hand, was caught staging paparazzi photographs for a fee last week. 

Last Sunday, he faced embarrassment after the Mail on Sunday revealed he had colluded with LA-based paparazzo Jeff Rayner, 44, to stage pictures – including shots of him apparently being measured up for a suit at a local tailors.

In fact, the pictures were shot at a nearby party boutique called Moby Eventos with Markle Sr's measurements taken by bunting salesman David Flores, 17, instead.

'It was really strange,' he told the Mail on Sunday.

'This big American guy got the measuring tape out of his pocket and he was saying things in English. I don’t speak good English but I understood what he wanted me to do. The photographer he was with stepped back to the street and started taking pictures.

'The big man was showing me what to do with the tape, holding it across himself. I just went along with it. I was telling him the measurements but he didn’t write them down or anything.

After around 20 minutes, he said "thank you" and gave me about $15 as a tip.

'He and the photographer left together in the same car. I think it was a grey or silver minivan. The photographer was driving. I had no idea who this American man was until I saw the pictures in the news. Now I know he is Thomas Markle, the father of Princess Meghan.'

On Monday, Markle Sr announced he was pulling out of the wedding via TMZ and said he had recently suffered a heart attack, brought on by stress caused by older daughter Samantha Grant's fondness for trashing her sister in the press.

He also said he wanted to spare Meghan from any embarrassment caused by his antics.

The following day, he told TMZ he had changed his mind but then announced he was pulling out for a second time – leaving Meghan allegedly blindsided by the news.

Since then, he has provided regular updates about his condition from his hospital bed and has said he wants to visit his daughter in London when he recovers.

Markle Sr is still to meet his new son-in-law Prince Harry but is thought to have spoken to the royal, 33, over the phone.

On Thursday, Meghan released a statement confirming her father would not attend and said he needed to focus on his health.

She said Thursday: 'Sadly my father will not be attending our wedding. I have always cared for my father and hope he can be given the space he needs to focus on his health'.

The former Suits star, 36, added: 'I would like to thank everyone who has offered generous messages of support. Please know how much Ha