Meghan Markle urged to mend differences with estranged dad 'before its too late' as coronavirus wreaks havoc
Meghan Markle's elderly uncle Michael Markle recently urged his niece to patch her relationship with her estranged father, Thomas Markle, 75, lest he and his brother doesn't make it out of the coronavirus pandemic alive and "time could not be turned back".
In an interview with Express, Michael, who is a retired US air force veteran, recalled what the Duchess of Sussex said in the ITV documentary, 'Harry & Meghan: An African Journey,' which aired in October, last year.
"Meghan famously said 'not many people have asked if I'm OK'. She would do well in this time of a genuine crisis to ask her dad if he is OK. People of my age and Tom's are dying due to the virus. There's nothing wrong with being courteous. It's about time she should try to mend any differences she has with family before it is too late. I think that she should be in touch with her dad. Tom should be speaking to his daughter and his newest grandson," he said.
He also drew attention to the fact that both he and his brother suffered from preexisting health conditions, which makes them eligible for the "at-risk" group that WHO has underscored for the kind of people COVID-19 would impact the most. While Michael suffers from Parkinson's disease, Thomas has a well-documented history of heart problems.
"I'll be 82 in July, but you know with this virus going around I may not make it that far. Although Tom is younger than me, he has multiple underlying health issues, which makes him very vulnerable too. We don't know how long any of us are going to be around," Michael said.
Thomas suffered "excruciating chest pains" before suffering a heart attack that prevented him from walking his daughter down the aisle in 2018. He has not spoken to Meghan ever since. Michael said had the former 'Suits' actress reached out to him after her father fell ill, he would have gladly made the trip to England to take his brother's place at the wedding ceremony but he never got an invitation.
He said: "I thought I would [get an invitation] but anyhow I didn't hear from her."
Michael claimed that he had helped his niece secure a diplomatic internship when she was considering a career in international relations as a teenager. However, his fond memories of her were "tarnished" after Meghan cut off all contacts with the rest of her family except for her mother Doria Ragland.
"She turned her back on us and now Meghan and Harry have done it to the Queen," he said. "I definitely think it was a mistake for them to turn their back on the Royal Family. For Harry to give up so much too, he will one day regret the decision, especially as he has lost his close ties with the military. We are both veterans, and I think once you're in the military you cherish those days. You miss them when they are gone. Harry should have kept hold of his military ties. It was wrong for them to leave. It must hurt him not to be involved in the military anymore."
Nevertheless, now that the couple has moved to Los Angeles in their latest preparation to officially quit the royal family on March 31, Michael said patching things up with her father was now easier than ever for Meghan, that is, if she wanted to.
"Meghan knows Los Angeles very well - as does Tom. It's only a drive from his home in Mexico, one that he makes often. Hopefully, the short distance between them will make Meghan think again, and the two will reunite. I know Tom wants that more than anything," he said.