Thomas Markle expressed that he “really liked” Meghan Markle’s first husband, Trevor Engelson, and questioned why the couple divorced, in what seems like a subtle jab at Prince Harry.
Meghan Markle’s father, Thomas Markle, suggested that his daughter should never have left her first husband, in what appears to be a new criticism aimed at Prince Harry. The 80-year-old former lighting director shared his views on Meghan’s marriage while she is reportedly gearing up for a “career relaunch” with a new Netflix show. Thomas, who has been estranged from Meghan since before her wedding to the Duke of Sussex, also revealed plans to move abroad with one of his sons to escape the “awful drama” associated with being in the public eye as Meghan’s father.
In an interview with MailOnline, Thomas voiced his preference for Meghan’s first husband, film producer Trevor Engelson, saying he “really liked” him and was puzzled by their 2013 divorce. He remarked, “I really liked Trevor. I don’t think he ever understood why she dumped him either.”
The newspaper noted that Thomas still proudly keeps old family photos of Meghan in his home in Mexico, including those from her wedding to Engelson. Thomas, who has been estranged from Meghan—his only child with his second wife, Doria Ragland—since before her wedding to Harry in May 2018, has not spoken to her since then.
Thomas mentioned his plans to relocate abroad, although he hasn’t decided on a specific destination yet. He indicated that southeast Asia is a likely option, describing it as a “place of culture and beauty,” reminiscent of his travels there when he was younger. He has opted not to renew the lease on his rented home near the US-Mexico border in Rosarito, Mexico, and will move with his son, Tom Jr., 58, Meghan’s half-brother.
Mr. Markle has never met his grandchildren, Archie, five, and Lilibet, three. He previously appeared on Good Morning Britain, appealing to Meghan to let him meet them. He said, “This is a cruel thing to do to a grandparent… To deny the right to see their grandchild.” Meghan severed ties with her father before her royal wedding in 2018 after he was discovered to have staged photos with the paparazzi, an action he later apologized for in the press.