MEGHAN Markle has blamed the breakdown of her “very close relationship” with her dad on the tabloid media.
The Duchess of Sussex revealed in new court papers filed by her lawyers they became distanced when he was “targeted three years ago”.
She said they “had a very close father/daughter relationship throughout her childhood and remained close”, until he was unable to come to her wedding 2018.
As part of her case against the Mail on Sunday for publishing part of her handwritten letter to him following her marriage to Prince Harry, she also hit back at claims she hadn’t helped him financially.
The Telegraph reports lawyers argue Meghan had given Thomas Markle “voluntary financial contributions” since she started working.
And said it was false she “failed to provide any or any real financial support for her father”.
In paperwork submitted to the High Court the 38-year-old it said her father would have been able to pay for his medical bills due to media interviews following a heart attack – around the time they stopped speaking.
Previously filed documents saw Meghan saying she felt “unprotected” by the “institution” of the Royal Family and was unable to defend herself against false claims that where made about her.
The 38-year-old said that some of those claims included the royal rift with William and Kate before she and Harry stepped down as senior royals in March – known widely as ‘Megxit’.
Meghan is suing ANL for publishing the personal letter to her dad – although the media group claims Mr Markle made it public after five of her pals gave an interview about it to People magazine.
MAKING HER CASE
The Duchess has named the pals – although they are only referred to as A, B, C, D and E in the papers – and they could now be called to testify at a trial.
People magazine previously described them as “Meghan’s inner circle – a longtime friend, a former co-star, a friend from LA, a one-time colleague and a close confidante’”.
Meghan has denied authorising her friends to speak out to defend her in the magazine article – and documents filed last week say she was only told of her pal’s involvement after it was published.
She said she learned an article about her was due to appear shortly before it was published, but did not know it would be in People magazine or its contents.
Meghan’s leaked letter told how 74-year-old Mr Markle broke her heart “into a million pieces” by badmouthing the Royal Family and her marriage to Prince Harry.
Last year, he told the Mail on Sunday the gut-wrenching five-page letter was a “dagger to the heart” which left him “devastated”.
The Mail on Sunday says it printed the letter with Thomas’s permission after he was angry about it being misrepresented in the US mag.
Meghan and Prince Harry, 35, now live in LA after stepping back from royal duties. She angered courtiers last week by claiming in court documents she was left unprotected by the Royal Family.
The Duchess and her father, 75, are both set to give evidence on opposing sides at the trial, expected to take place at the High Court in London next year.
She is suing for undisclosed damages on the ground of breach of privacy, copyright and data protection.
No date has been set for the trial – expected to go ahead in 2021.
Associated Newspapers have denied all claims against them.
