Thomas Markle furious after unexpected slamming by Sharon Osbourne

Sharon looked pained as she tried to express how "humiliated" she thought Meghan would be at his constant media interviews. Photo / CBS

Meghan Markle's father is "utterly furious" after Sharon Osbourne said it was "so obvious" he had a "bad drinking problem".

Osbourne made the wild allegations on her CBS panel show, The Talk, just one day after Thomas Markle was filmed for a tell-all interview about his broken relationship with his daughter, the Duchess of Sussex.

With her head in her hands, the X Factor judge looked pained as she tried to express how "humiliated" she thought Meghan would be at his constant media interviews.

"It is so obvious that you have a bad drinking problem," she said of Thomas, a former Hollywood lighting director.

"And it's obvious that over the last few years, you haven't been close with your daughter.

"Get yourself clean and sober and then come back."

Friends of the 74-year-old hit back in Thomas' defense, telling The Sun he will only occasionally have a glass of wine with a meal.

One friend said Thomas was "shocked" by Osbourne's claims about his sobriety.

"It's totally untrue and he's been through enough with his recent health issues without people making these sorts of allegations.

"He's livid. Utterly furious. Sharon Osbourne doesn't know him at all. How dare she say these things."

Osbourne had more advice for Thomas, who she believes is "embarrassing" his daughter.

"Just be happy for your daughter. Let her live her life," she said.

Now the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan appears to be settling in to royal ilfe well, despite her father's concerns. Photo / Getty Images

"She is so dignified - you should try to give a little bit of that dignity for her."

During his interview with The Sun last week, Thomas revealed he had not spoken to Meghan in two months.

Thomas told the paper he was worried for his daughter, adding: "I see it in her eyes, I see it in her face and I see it in her smile.

"I've seen her smile for years. I know her smile. I don't like the one I'm seeing now... This is a pained smile."

He said she is "terrified" and "under too much pressure", adding: "There's a high price to pay to be married to that family."