An estimated 350 million people are expected to tune in to watch King Charles III’s coronation on May 6.
Like with any massive event, the coronation will be a big opportunity for publicity hounds, fame-chasers and grifters. Also seemingly taking advantage of the royal hubbub is Meghan Markle’s father, half-sister and half-brother, who provided an exclusive interview to Australia’s 7News Spotlight last weekend in what certainly feels like a last-ditch ploy at a time when so many are once again talking about royal family drama — particularly any drama that centers on Meghan and Prince Harry.
A lot of the criticisms that are now once again being leveled at Meghan by her family are criticisms I’ve dealt with firsthand.
The interview appeared to perpetuate more of the same toxicity and entitlement that has been evident in nearly every other interview opportunity that Megan’s family has taken advantage of since she married Harry. It seems that the exclusive was designed to garner sympathy for the extended Markle family from the get-go, by highlighting footage from Meghan’s childhood shot by her father, a professional cameraman. The narration is anything but neutral, with Spotlight host Liam Bartlett describing the interview as a “deathbed plea” to the daughter Thomas “lost,” coming from “a father who still loves the daughter who no longer speaks to him.”
Throughout the interview, Thomas tried to position himself as a devoted caregiver. “Her childhood was with me,” he said. “Every time we had a chance to go somewhere and do something, we would. We were very close all of our lives.” This dovetails with previous interviews where Thomas has claimed that Meghan “owes” him and that he should be “rewarded” for his parenting.
Later in the interview, Thomas is joined by his children from another marriage, Samantha and Thomas, Jr., both of whom have previously seized opportunities to talk with the media about their half-sister.
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