FATHER’S Day has just been and gone, but one dad who was not given a royal shout out was Thomas Markle. 

The former lighting director, 80, is estranged from Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, 43, and hasn’t even met her husband Prince Harry or his grandkids, Archie and Lilibet. 

Royal experts have queried why an introduction has never been made, and royal author and broadcaster Hugo Vickers claimed there could be three key reasons.

Speaking on The Sun’s Royal Exclusive show, he said: “Why did Mr Markle never meet Prince Harry?

“There can only be three reasons for that. 

“One that she was ashamed of him, which I think is a bit unattractive.

“Two, possibly that she thought he’d done something, but when Prince Harry rang Mr Markle up and asked if he could marry his daughter, he said ‘you can marry her as long as you never raise your hand against her’.

“Of course we don’t talk like that, so maybe he lives in a world where people have done that sort of thing. 

“I dispute that as well. I don’t think that’s the case. 

“The third reason is that I think she was worried that he might actually have warned Prince Harry – this is not what you’re getting, this girl.”

Thomas famously didn’t attend his daughter’s globally-televised royal wedding to Prince Harry in 2018 due to suffering two heart attacks – although her mum Doria Ragland did.

He watched the wedding of Meghan and Harry from a £23-a-night Airbnb in the country.

Meghan shares videos of Archie and Lilibet to wish Harry a Happy Father’s Day

After the pensioner – who divorced Doria in 1987 – was unable to walk his daughter down the aisle, they’ve not been in contact since.

Hugo continued: “Mr Markle should have been at the wedding and they should have flown him over and stuck him in a health farm in the Shetlands or somewhere. 

“Prince Harry should have gone up to see him and if he couldn’t have walked the aisle he should have been sitting there, because, as you rightly say, he did a lot for that girl and she even admitted it in the early days before she distanced herself from him.”

Due to their estrangement, Thomas previously confessed he has resigned himself to the fact he will most likely never meet Archie, six, or Lilibet, four.

This is despite him living just 250 miles away from Meghan for years, in a home filled with pictures and accolades of his daughter – who he affectionately dubs “Megsy”.

Now Thomas has left his California home after 10 years and has relocated to South East Asia to spend his time with “kinder people”.

The Duchess’ estranged father also admitted that while he doesn’t like some of Meghan’s behaviour, his “door is always open”.

MARKLE FEUD

Turmoil between the pair erupted after Thomas posed for paparazzi pictures ahead of Harry and Meghan tying the knot.

However, Meghan has previously shared the hurt and “betrayal she felt” by her father.

She opened up about her relationship with her estranged dad and said she was left feeling crushed when he lied to her about not talking to the media.

In her sensational interview with Oprah in 2021, Meghan said: “I’m trying to decide if I’m comfortable even talking about that.

“It was… if we were going to use the word betrayal.”

Meghan Markle on how dad Thomas Markle ‘betrayed’ her

IN her candid interview with Oprah, the Duchess of Sussex opened up about her relationship with her dad and said she was left feeling crushed when he lied to her before the wedding.

Meghan said she tried to “protect” her parents from the “media frenzy” sparked due to an “obsession about anything in my world”.

It was the first time Meghan has publicly discussed her dad, who she has not spoken to since before her wedding to Prince Harry in May 2018.

Thomas, an ex-Hollywood lighting director, has spoken about her daughter’s relationship publicly and described their decision to walk away from the royals as embarrassing.

Their relationship soured in the run-up to their 2018 Windsor Castle wedding, when he admitted agreeing to stage pictures of himself.

Meghan was asked if it felt like a “betrayal” when she found out her dad was working with the Press, and replied: “I’m trying to decide if I’m comfortable even talking about that.

“It was… if we were going to use the word betrayal.”

Meghan added: “Because when I asked him, when we were told by the comms team, this is a story that was going to be coming out, which, by the way, the tabloids had apparently known for a month or so and decided to hold until the Sunday before our wedding because they wanted to create drama, which is also a really key point in all this.

“We called my dad and I asked him and he said, no, absolutely not.”

Oprah then said: “He said no, absolutely not. He hadn’t been talking to them. So he basically lied to you.”

The full transcript of the interview can be read here.

MEGHAN’S FATHER’S DAY SNUB

This follows Meghan sharing a rare video showing Archie and Lilibet to wish Harry a Happy Father’s day.

The heartwarming footage was posted on Instagram with Jason Mraz’s hit ‘Have It All’ playing in the background.

“The best,” she captioned her post. “Happy Father’s Day to our favorite guy.”

The compilation showed photos and videos of Harry laughing, dancing and spending quality time with his children through the years.

While Thomas – and also King Charles – was omitted from the post, Meghan did post a tribute to Doria on Mother’s Day.

The Duchess has been more open with posting her children this year, amid her new business ventures, including her As Ever brand and her Netflix cooking show, With Love, Meghan.

Meghan Markle’s ventures after stepping down as a working royal

THE Duchess of Sussex has kept busy since stepping down as a senior working royal in 2020 and relocating to California. Here are some of her business ventures…

• Archewell Foundation – A nonprofit supporting charitable initiatives.
• Netflix Deal – Producing content like Harry & Meghan and With Love, Meghan.
• Archetypes Podcast – Former Spotify show on female stereotypes.
• Clevr Blends – Investment in a women-owned wellness latte brand.
• Cesta Collective – Minority stake in a handbag brand supporting Rwandan artisans.
• As Ever – Previously known as American Riviera Orchard lifestyle brand selling jam.
• ShopMy Page – Online store featuring her curated fashion and beauty items.
• New Podcast – Confessions of a Female Founder focusing on entrepreneurship.