'This is a deeply personal moment for Ms. Markle in the days before her wedding,' an official statement from Kensington Palace reads.
- May 15, 2018
AceShowbiz - Meghan Markle is asking for "understanding and respect" following her father's decision not to attend the royal wedding on Saturday, May 19. Thomas Markle reportedly decided against attending his daughter's big day following the uproar over his staged paparazzi photos.
He had been due to walk his daughter down the aisle for her wedding to Prince Harry at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, England, but he told TMZ he has now cancelled the trip to avoid further embarrassment to the royal family.
The father of the bride has been blasted in the British tabloids after it emerged candid photos of Thomas preparing for the former actress' big day had actually been pre-arranged, with Los Angeles-based photographer Jeff Rayner hired to snap images of Thomas looking at news reports about Meghan's upcoming nuptials, working out, and getting fitted for a suit for the high-profile ceremony.
Meghan's estranged half-sister, Samantha, has since revealed she helped broker the pictures, which were sold to news agencies and publications worldwide, in an effort to show her dad in a more positive light following the publication of unflattering shots in recent months.
Thomas also claimed the decision to skip Meghan and Harry's nuptials was partly due to health concerns after reportedly suffering a heart attack on May 8.
Kensington Palace officials in London have since confirmed the medical scare in a new statement released to the media.
"This is a deeply personal moment for Ms. Markle in the days before her wedding," it reads. "She and Prince Harry ask again for understanding and respect to be extended to Mr. Markle in this difficult situation."
