Meghan Markle’s father is ‘terrified’ of walking her down the aisle

As he prepares for the biggest wedding of the year, Meghan Markle’s reclusive father is said to be ‘terrified’ about walking his daughter down the aisle.   

Millions of people across the world will be watching as Thomas Markle Sr accompanies his 36-year-old daughter through St George’s Chapel in Windsor to her waiting groom, Prince Harry.

But family members say the retired lighting director, who lives in in Rosarito Beach in Mexico, is nervous about ‘representing his family, and America’.

The fiercely private 73-year-old will battle through health concerns including a knee injury to attend his daughter’s nuptials on May 19. 

Meghan shared this photograph of her with her father captioned simply ‘Me and my dad’ before she shut down her social media accounts

Meghan Markle, her father Thomas Markle Sr, and her nephew Tyler Dooley. Her father is reportedly ‘terrified’ about his daughter’s upcoming wedding

An adorable Meghan is pictured here as a baby with her father, who ‘worships the ground she walks on’

Renowned royal biographer Andrew Morton documents the family relationship and life of Harry’s bride-to-be in his book, Meghan: A Hollywood Princess. 

In the book – which is being serialised by The Sun on Sunday – Thomas Markle Jr told Morton: ‘I know how proud he will be to take her arm and walk her down the aisle.

‘But I also know how terrified he will be. 

‘If he doesn’t go he will regret it for the rest of his life. He is not just representing his family, he is representing America.’ 

It had  been rumoured that Meghan could even have both her father and her mother walk her down the aisle.

Mr Markle was a leading Hollywood lighting director in his mid-30s when he met Meghan’s mother, Doria, who was 12 years his junior and temping in his studio.

They married and a year later Meghan was born, in August 1981.

Sources claim Meghan’s father has struck up a close friendship with Prince Harry, although he is yet to meet him

Millions of people across the world will be watching as Thomas Markle Sr accompanies his 36-year-old daughter through St George’s Chapel in Windsor

Meghan is pictured here aged 11 with her father Thomas Markle, her former sister-in-law Tracy Dooley and Tracy’s sons (Meghan’s nephews, Thomas (left) and Tyler Dooley)

Mr Markle divorced Doria, who went on to become a social worker, when their daughter was six 

Mr Markle divorced Doria, who went on to become a social worker, when their daughter was six.

Meghan is closer to her mother and is reportedly not on good terms with her half-sister Samantha and half brother Thomas Markle Jnr, who was arrested for allegedly putting a gun to his girlfriend’s head during a row last year.

But sources claim Meghan’s father has struck up a close friendship with Prince Harry, although he is yet to meet him, and has spoken to him regularly to discuss the couple’s wedding. 

Doria, 61, has met Harry – at last year’s Invictus Games in Toronto, when he said she was ‘amazing’.

Invitations for the wedding were sent out last month and other guests are thought to include the Beckhams, international figures such as Canadian premier Justin Trudeau, and close friends from the US, including designer Misha Nonoo. 

The evening reception, at Frogmore House, Windsor, will be reserved for 200 of Harry and Meghan’s closest family and friends.

 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk