Meghan Markle’s dad takes swipe at Harry and says she ‘shouldn’t have left first husband’

Meghan Markle’s dad has said his daughter should ‘never have left’ her first husband in what appears to be a new swipe at Prince Harry.

Former film lighting director Thomas Markle, 80, offered his latest thoughts on the Duchess of Sussex’s marriage as the 43-year-old prepares for a ‘career relaunch’ with her brand new Netflix TV show. Thomas, who has been estranged from his daughter since before her wedding to the 40-year-old Duke, also announced his plans to move to the other side of the world with one of his sons to escape the “awful drama” of life in the public eye as the Duchess’ father.

Speaking to the MailOnline, Thomas shared his preference for Meghan’s first husband, film producer Trevor Engelson, whom he said he “really liked” – and questioned why the couple divorced back in 2013. He said: “I really liked Trevor. I don’t think he ever understood why she dumped him either.”

According to the newspaper, Thomas still proudly displays old family pictures of Meghan around his home in Mexico, including from her first wedding to Mr Engelson. Thomas is famously not on speaking terms with his eldest daughter Meghan, his only child from second wife Doria Ragland, and the pair have not spoken since before her wedding to Harry in May 2018.

Thomas also said he soon plans to move abroad – but has admitted he doesn’t yet know exactly where he will relocate to yet. He pointed to south-east Asia as one likely destination, as he travelled there when he was younger, and described the region as a “place of culture and beauty”. He has decided not to renew his lease on his rented home a few miles from the US border in Rosarito, Mexico, and says he will move accompanied by son Tom Jr, 58, who is Meghan’s half brother.

Mr Markle has never met his grandchildren Archie, five and Lilibet, three, and in an appearance on Good Morning Britain last year urged her to let him see them. He told the programme: “This is a cruel thing to do to a grandparent… To deny the right to see their grandchild.” Meghan cut all ties with her dad in the run-up to her royal wedding in 2018, after he was found to have set up photos with the paparazzi, something he later apologised to her for in the press.