Meghan Markle's Father Will Not Give Her Away
Early Thursday morning, Kensington Palace released a statement from Meghan Markle that settles days of speculation over whether her father, Thomas Markle, will attend the wedding.
“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,” read the official release. “I would like to thank everyone who has offered generous messages of support. Please know how much Harry and I look forward to sharing our special day with you on Saturday”
It has no doubt been a difficult few days for the bride-to-be, in what should have been the final days of wedding planning. On Monday, TMZ reported that Markle Sr. would not be attending his daughter's wedding due to the "fallout" over staging photos for photographers. At the time, TMZ also reported that Markle had recently suffered a heart attack.
At the time, Kensington Palace issued a statement regarding the situation with Meghan's father.
"This is a deeply personal moment for Ms. Markle in the days before her wedding." reads the memo. "She and Prince Harry ask again for understanding and respect to be extended to Mr. Markle in this difficult situation."
However, on Tuesday morning, Markle Sr. had changed his mind, and told TMZ he would attend the wedding if his doctors let him. Then Wednesday, he again told TMZ that he would not attend the royal wedding, as he was having serious heart surgery to repair the damage to his heart.
"They [doctors] will go in and clear blockage, repair damage and put a stent where it is needed," Markle Sr. told TMZ.
Kensington Palace has not commented directly on the surgery, but on Friday, they issued a statement confirming that Prince Charles will be the one to accompany his soon-to-be daughter-in-law down the aisle.
It has only been a few weeks since Kensington Palace confirmed that Thomas Markle would not only be at the wedding, but he would be the one to give her away.
Shortly after Prince Harry and Meghan announced their engagement, her father shared that he would love to walk his daughter down the aisle.
Mirror, a British tabloid, hunted him down near Rosarito Beach in Mexico. When asked if he'd like to give Meghan away, he responded, "Yes. I’d love to," adding that he was "very pleased" and "delighted" about his daughter's engagement, but declining to comment further. "I’m sorry. You know I can’t talk," he said.
It was first time the public had heard from either of Markle's parents following their statement about her engagement.
"We are incredibly happy for Meghan and Harry," it read.
"Our daughter has always been a kind and loving person. To see her union with Harry, who shares her same qualities, is a great source of joy for us as parents."
Should someone else walk Meghan down the aisle, this wouldn't be the first time a royal bride was escorted by someone other than her father. In 1960, for example, following the death of Princess Margaret's father, George VI, it was Prince Philip who accompanied Margaret down the aisle and gave her away at the altar.
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