thomas markle
Thomas Markle, the father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in his exclusive interview with The Sun The Sun

Meghan Markle’s father thinks she is “terrified” of her life as a royal. Thomas Markle has said the Duchess of Sussex’s body language indicates she was not adjusting well as Prince Harry’s wife.

In an interview with The Sun, the Emmy Award-winning lighting director was through being sorry for cashing in on his daughter’s fame. He was previously apologetic after it emerged that he staged paparazzi photos in the weeks leading to Meghan’s wedding to Harry, as well as when he appeared in a paid interview about the couple after the wedding.

But now, he said he had enough of being sorry. “I have already apologised to the Royal Family. I honestly think that if the Queen took the time to think that she would not see me because I did some stupid photographs, that is ridiculous,” he told the UK tabloid. “I have had a fairly successful life. I’m fairly outspoken about certain things but I’m no different to any other father.”

Thomas also previously criticised Queen Elizabeth for not willing to meet him. He told TMZ that if the Queen was willing to meet US President Donald Trump, then she should also have time to meet the father of her new granddaughter-in-law.

He also lamented the fact that he appeared to have been shunned by the royal family because he had done a paid interview with “Good Morning Britain” without their knowledge. “Anyone who makes a profit off the Royal Family becomes shunned,” he said, adding that he could have cashed in a lot more if he wanted to but didn’t.

“So if I moved to London and started selling cups with my daughter’s face on, would they shun me? The Royal Family is living by rules that are outdated. Half of Great Britain seems to make a fortune selling pictures of my daughter and her husband. Are they shunned?”

In his interview with the Sun, he continued criticising the British royal family, calling them outdated. He bemoaned their “ridiculous” dress code, saying Meghan “seems like something out of an old movie” with her outfits.

His biggest gripe about the royals is apparently how Meghan appears to be so “terrified” when she’s among them. He fears his 36-year-old daughter has switched her bubbly personality to a prim and proper member of the royal family.

Britain's Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex
Britain's Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex arrives at Westminster Abbey for a service to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force in central London, Britain July 10, 2018. Reuters/Simon Dawson

“My thing about my daughter right now is that I think she is terrified,” he said. “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.”

He said Meghan’s smile these days wasn’t even a “stage smile,” but a “pained smile.” He said, “There’s a high price to pay to be married to that family.”

Thomas also had an opinion on how the seating on the royal wedding should have taken place. He wasn’t able to go because he was recovering from a heart operation. The only family Meghan had on that day was her mum, Doria Ragland, Thomas’ ex-wife. He believed the royals should have sat beside Doria as to not let her look all alone.

“There was no reason why she couldn’t have been with the royals,” he said.

Doria Ragland
Doria Ragland takes her seat in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle ahead of the wedding of her daughter Meghan Markle to Prince Harry in Windsor, Britain, May 19, 2018. Dominic Lipinski/Pool via Reuters

As tradition, the right side of the church was reserved for the groom’s family, which means Harry’s fellow royal family members were all seated at the right side of the St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on May 19. The left side was reserved for Meghan’s family, which meant her mum and her dad, if only he could have made it.