Meghan Markle's dad is no longer attending the royal wedding


Wedding drama isn't just for commoners, as Prince Harry can attest.
His wedding to actress Meghan Markle is on Saturday, and he was scheduled to meet her father, Thomas Markle, for the first time this week. On Monday, it was reported that Thomas Markle — who was also going to walk his daughter down the aisle — won't attend, following the revelation that he posed for staged paparazzi photos near his home in Mexico. In a statement, a spokesperson for Kensington Palace said this is a "deeply personal moment for Ms. Markle in the days before her wedding. She and Prince Harry ask again for understanding and respect to be extended to Mr. Markle in this difficult situation."
Meghan Markle's half-sister Samantha told a British talk show on Monday that she set up the paparazzi shoots not for money, but so her father could have some positive press coverage. Thomas Markle also said on Monday he had a heart attack six days ago, but left the hospital early so he could attend the wedding. Meghan Markle's half-siblings Samantha and Thomas Markle Jr. are not invited to the nuptials, People reports, as she does not have a relationship with them, but she will have her mother, Doria Ragland, by her side.
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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
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