A brief remark from Prince Harry in late 2017 captured the start of Meghan Markle’s growing distance from her biological family. Describing the royals as “the family she never had,” he highlighted her integration into royal life amid a widening gap with her father, Thomas Markle Sr., and half-siblings. Seven years later, the estrangement persists despite urgent medical crises and public appeals.
The comment reflected Meghan’s fractured family history and ignited a public conversation that continues today. As she navigated royal expectations, past family tensions were amplified under intense media scrutiny. Here’s what’s happening behind the headlines of Meghan’s long-standing family conflict.
“The Family She Never Had” Resonates
On December 27, 2017, Prince Harry guest-edited BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. Speaking of Meghan’s first royal Christmas, he said: “She’s done an absolutely amazing job. She’s getting in there and it’s the family I suppose that she’s never had.” The brief remark underscored Meghan’s fractured family history and echoed for years, according to BBC reporting at the time.
The statement referenced her parents’ separation when she was 2, followed by divorce at 6, leaving her with older half-siblings Samantha and Thomas Jr. Doria Ragland, her mother, provided steady support in Los Angeles, while Thomas Sr., a former Emmy-winning Hollywood lighting director, remained distant.
By the time Meghan got engaged to Harry, she had not spoken to Samantha for over a decade, setting the stage for deeper fractures under public scrutiny.
Staged Photos Shatter Trust
In May 2018, days before Meghan and Harry’s May 19 wedding at Windsor Castle, the Daily Mail published photos of Thomas Sr. at an internet café and shopping for a suit. The images, taken by paparazzi agency Coleman-Rayner, were secretly staged by Thomas Sr.
When confronted, Thomas Sr. denied involvement. Meghan recalled in March 2021: “I said, ‘You know, the tabloids have apparently said that you’ve been taking payments for these staged photos,’ and he said, ‘No, absolutely not.’” She said the lie eroded trust more than the images themselves.
Samantha later claimed responsibility on ITV’s Loose Women, explaining she wanted to portray her father as “healthy and positive.” Thomas Sr. withdrew from attending the wedding, citing cardiac issues, and King Charles walked Meghan down the aisle.
The Private Letter Goes Public
Three months after the wedding, on August 27, 2018, Meghan wrote a five-page handwritten letter to her father on Kensington Palace stationery. She began: “Daddy, it is with a heavy heart that I write this, not understanding why you have chosen to take this path, turning a blind eye to the pain you are causing.” The letter pleaded for reconciliation and asked him to stop speaking to tabloids.
Five months later, the Mail on Sunday published large excerpts without her permission. Meghan sued Associated Newspapers Limited for invasion of privacy and copyright infringement. On February 11, 2021, High Court Judge Mark Warby ruled in her favor, and the Court of Appeal upheld the decision in December 2021. Despite the legal victory, the emotional divide remained.
Estrangement Deepens Over Grandchildren
Thomas Sr. has never met Meghan’s children: Prince Archie, born May 6, 2019, and Princess Lilibet, born June 4, 2021. Over seven years of estrangement, he has repeatedly expressed longing, telling the Mail on Sunday in June 2025: “I’d love to see my grandkids. I have never stopped loving my daughter. Nothing will ever change that.”
After stepping back from senior royal duties in January 2020, Meghan and Harry settled in a $14.65 million Montecito, California estate. Thomas Sr., previously living in Rosarito, Mexico, moved to Cebu, Philippines, in January 2025. Communication became limited, with Meghan relying on intermediaries during crises, according to People magazine.
Medical Crisis Highlights Distance
On December 3, 2025, Thomas Sr., 81, underwent emergency leg amputation in the Philippines due to a severe blood clot. His son, Thomas Jr., described the condition as life-threatening. Meghan sent a letter via trusted intermediaries, which was confirmed as safely received on December 10, 2025, with no in-person reunion planned.
Prince Harry encouraged Meghan to call her father directly, but she cited past patterns of betrayal. During the 2025 holidays, Meghan, Harry, their children, and Doria celebrated Christmas in Montecito—marking their sixth consecutive holiday apart from the royals and Thomas Sr.’s seventh without his daughter.
The Trade-Off Endures
As 2026 begins, the seven-year estrangement remains unresolved. Harry’s December 2017 comment—that Meghan had gained “the family she never had”—symbolizes a trade-off: acceptance into the British royal family at the cost of losing connection to her biological family.
Health emergencies and time have not closed the gap, and practical barriers remain. Whether future events or reconciliations might bridge this divide is unknown, leaving Meghan’s path between public duty and personal family ties as complex as ever. The rift now enters its eighth year, underscoring the lasting consequences of fame, distance, and loyalty.
Sources
Prince Harry guest-edits Today programme. BBC Radio 4, December 27, 2017
“Oprah with Meghan and Harry” interview segment. CBS, March 8, 2021
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex v Associated Newspapers Limited judgment. High Court of Justice, February 11, 2021
Meghan Markle’s Estranged Father Receives Her Letter After Leg Amputation. Mail on Sunday, December 10, 2025