Just days before her royal wedding to fiancé Prince Harry, Meghan Markle has been getting hit with one family blow after another.
We previously reported that her father, Thomas Markle, struck a deal with paparazzi to pretend like he wasn't aware of photogs snapping pics of him, as he did normal activities throughout the day. However, the public eventually found out and this reveal led to much fallout. TMZ also previously reported that Thomas suffered a heart attack last week amid this controversy. But, he released himself from medical care because he wanted to walk his daughter down the aisle.
After all of this drama, Thomas said that he was excusing himself from the wedding because he didn't want to embarrass Meghan or the royal family anymore than he possibly had. “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,” a spokesperson for Meghan and Prince Harry said the news.
Meghan would later reassure her dad that she did want him to give her away, despite the paparazzi controversy. This made Thomas reconsider his position about exiting the ceremony. However, a new report from TMZ says that Thomas actually won't be able to make it to the wedding because he needs to undergo heart surgery.
"They [doctors] will go in and clear blockage, repair damage and put a stent where it is needed," Thomas confirmed to the news outlet. The surgery will take place on Wednesday (May 16). So, unfortunately, he can't walk his daughter down the aisle like he and Meghan wanted. Hopefully, the surgery goes well. Thomas believes that his son, Thomas Jr., writing that letter to Prince Harry urging him to not marry Meghan is what provoked his recent heart attack.
Photo: Getty Images