Meghan Markle says her father won’t attend her Windsor wedding to Prince Harry after all
Thomas Markle has reportedly wavered on attending the wedding, but after surgery on Wednesday, he has now had to bow out of Saturday’s ceremony altogether, a statement by Meghan Markle says
Meghan Markle confirmed on Thursday that her father would not attend her wedding to Prince Harry, putting an end to days of speculation that had overshadowed the build-up to the glittering ceremony.
Harry, Queen Elizabeth’s grandson, and US actress Markle, a star of the television drama Suits, will tie the knot on Saturday at the 15th-century St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, which has been home to the British royal family for nearly 1,000 years.
Markle’s father, Thomas, had been scheduled to walk his daughter down the aisle in front of a congregation of senior royals, celebrities, friends of the couple and a television audience of hundreds of millions.
But the former lighting director for television soaps and sitcoms gave a series of contradictory statements about whether he would be there, with the Los Angeles-based celebrity website TMZ.com saying he had undergone heart surgery on Wednesday.
“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,” Markle, 36, said in a statement.
“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.”