Meghan Markle's father has pulled out of the Royal Wedding after embarrassing paparazzi shots.
Meghan Markle's father claims he has not spoken to his daughter since pulling out of her wedding and says he is "popping Valium" after suffering chest pains.
Thomas Markle says he suffered a heart attack six days ago and is feeling unwell again after his shock deal with a paparazzi photographer was revealed.
The 73-year-old will reportedly no longer fly to London because he wanted to save Meghan further embarrassment after it emerged he "staged" wedding-related photo shoots for cash, the Daily Mail reports.
A spokesman for Meghan Markle and Prince Harry asked for respect to be extended to her father in this "difficult situation". Photo / AP
Last night he told TMZ that Meghan's mother Doria Ragland would be a "good choice" to walk her down the aisle at St George's Chapel, Windsor, on Saturday.
His daughter and Harry are said to be heartbroken by his decision and will try to change his mind but Markle has claimed his daughter is yet to speak to him.
In an extraordinary interview he called out his eldest daughter, Meghan's half-sister Samantha Markle, who has repeated attacked the star and yesterday claimed she was "to blame" for her father's "posed" photos.
The father of the bride told TMZ: "I've been popping Valium for the pain, especially when I hear about my oldest daughter."
Markle is said to have suffered a heart attack last week and more chest pains yesterday.
But the Daily Mail revealed yesterday that Meghan's father did not seek medical attention on the day of his heart attack, and was instead inside his clifftop home in Rosarito the entire day.
Two days later he was seen grabbing two Happy Meals and a frosted beverage at a McDonald's drive-thru before later stopping at KFC and emerging with a bag packed with food.
On Monday night Markle told TMZ that he was said to be considering a trip to hospital after suffering new chest pains but it is not clear if he went.
Kensington Palace are said to have been completely blindsided by his decision not to walk his daughter down the aisle and had not been informed of Markle's change of heart prior to the publication of his TMZ interview.
If Meghan Markle's father is not at the wedding, it is believed her mother Doria Ragland will walk her down the aisle. Photo / File
A friend of Meghan, 36, and Prince Harry, 33, told the Daily Mail she was standing by her father and pleaded for understanding, saying he was "not in a good place".
The friend said: "This is not what she wants. She obviously wants her dad there. And the idea of contemplating him not being there now is not something that she wants to have to do.
"She and Prince Harry are begging for people to give him some space. They have been saying this for weeks, while trying to offer him support and help. He is clearly feeling under immense pressure. The concern for him is real and genuine.
"He is a proud man who wants to be a father and not be taken care of, but it's quite difficult. Everyone needs to pause and think what this is doing to them and, more importantly, to him. It is a really worrying, scary situation. The couple have been doing everything they can to help him."
Her fiance is said to be blaming himself. The friend said: "He is devastated. He feels like this is another thing in the wake of him... the problems he causes. He feels that anyone who gets associated with his life – this is the price they have to pay.
"He wants to protect her and this is really difficult for him to swallow."
The couple issued an unprecedented official statement through Kensington Palace last night. A spokesman said: "This is a deeply personal moment for Ms Markle in the days before her wedding. She and Prince Harry ask again for understanding and respect to be extended to Mr Markle in this difficult situation."
Meghan Markle's father claims he has not spoken to his daughter since pulling out of her wedding and says he is "popping Valium" after suffering chest pains. Photo / Daily Mail
TMZ claimed to have spoken "on the record" to Meghan's father, who confirmed he had worked with the freelance photographer to set up images of him being measured for his wedding suit and searching online for articles about his daughter.
He said he did it to "rehabilitate" his image but had been left looking "stupid and hammy" – and would not be travelling to the UK to give her away in order to spare her further embarrassment.
Kensington Palace was clearly broadsided by the claims as aides had insisted on Sunday that Markle would be by his daughter's side at Windsor Castle this weekend.
TMZ further claimed that Markle – a former award-winning Hollywood lighting director who lives a reclusive life in Mexico and has yet to meet his future son-in-law – confirmed he had been offered money by US-based freelance photographer Jeff Rayner.
But he insisted the "deal" was not "principally" about money. Instead, he wanted to "rehabilitate" his image after pictures had been published of him looking overweight and dishevelled.
The website wrote: "He says since his daughter started dating Prince Harry he's been offered anywhere between $50,000 and $100,000 for interviews and he's turned all of them down. Thomas says the paparazzi agency approached him, offered him money – though nowhere near the reported $100,000 – and he figured there was no harm in it and it would help recast his image. He says he was just going along with the paparazzi agency, which he now deeply regrets."
Meghan's half-sister Samantha Markle claimed she was "to blame" for her father's "posed" photos.
The website continued: "Meghan's father will not be walking her down the aisle on Saturday... he isn't going to the wedding at all because of the fallout over selling photos of himself."
Markle also told the website that he had suffered a heart attack six days ago but checked himself out of the hospital so he could attend the wedding.
There was no independent confirmation that Markle had been ill, however.
Indeed, six days ago from yesterday he was seen leaving his home in the beachside community of Rosarito, Mexico, and driving to San Diego, just over the US border.
According to reports, he stopped for a few hours' sleep and then carried onto LA where he was photographed putting a pot of flowers on the doorstep of his ex-wife, Doria Ragland – Meghan's mother.
To add to the confusion, Markle's daughter, Meghan's estranged half-sister Samantha, has claimed she is "the culprit" behind the humiliating photograph debacle.
In a bizarre intervention, Samantha said she had advised her father to co-operate with the photographer to show himself – and, strangely, the royal family – in a "positive" light. She also insisted his motive hadn't been money.
One source told the Daily Mail last night that Markle was "very unwell", adding: "He is under significant stress. There is genuine concern about his safety. His health and safety are paramount [to Meghan]. He is under a huge amount of pressure."
If Markle's father is not at the wedding, it is believed Ragland will walk her down the aisle.
