The Duchess of Sussex was absolutely ‘humiliated’ after her father missed the biggest day of her life.
It was revealed in the new book Finding Freedom, royal authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand wote that Meghan still arranged for the retired for her estranged father to fly to London after he was caught staging paparazzi photos in Mexico just days before the wedding.
Although Meghan’s half-sister, Samantha Markle, claimed responsibility for the scandal, Thomas ultimately chose not to attend the wedding, telling everyone that he had suffered a heart attack.
“As much as she was hurt and humiliated, she wanted him to be there and was willing to move on,” a close friend of Meghan revealed in the book. “Plus, she was worried about him; she honestly wasn’t sure if he was actually okay. His behavior was bizarre.”
At the time, Meghan released a statement clarifying that her “father will not be attending our wedding,” adding, “I have always cared for my father and hope he can be given the space he needs to focus on his health.”
“[Meghan] found such a supportive and loving father in Charles, which has really changed her life for the better,” a trusted confidant stated in the book. “Not a father-in-law but a ‘second father.’”