In the months leading up to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s royal wedding, tabloids were splattered with images of the former Suits star’s father, Thomas Markle, seemingly preparing for his daughter’s big day. Images of everything from Markle being fitted for a tux, reading about English culture, and exercising suggested that the dad was gearing up from a trip across the pond.
So, when it was revealed that the photos were allegedly staged by Markle (his daughter and Meghan’s half-sister, the very chatty Samantha Grant, claimed it was her own idea to stop the press from vilifying their father) fans of the Royal Family wondered exactly what Meghan would do. Would she stand by her father — and have him stand by her side during her wedding to Prince Harry?
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A choice seemingly did not have to be made on that matter. Markle allegedly stayed behind in the United States due to health issues, having suffered a heart attack shortly before he was scheduled to fly across the pond. It was Harry’s father, Prince Charles, who stepped up to walk Meghan down the aisle.
In a new BBC documentary Prince, Son and Heir: Charles at 70, Prince Harry reveals that he asked his father to lead his bride to the altar during their big day.
“I asked him [to walk her down the aisle] and I think he knew it was coming and he immediately said, ‘Yes, of course, I’ll do whatever Meghan needs and I’m here to support you,’” Harry said in the documentary. “For him that’s a fantastic opportunity to step up and be that support, and you know he’s our father so of course he’s gonna be there for us.”
It’s never easy when things don’t go as planned on one’s wedding day (especially when one’s wedding is as much of a public spectacle as Harry and Meghan’s) but it sounds like Meghan has a very supportive father-in-law always ready to provide assistance.
As for Meghan's father, he's excited for his upcoming grandfather duties to his royal baby — even if he did find out about his daughter's pregnancy via the radio.
"I was filled with love, joy and happiness for both my beautiful daughter and my son-in-law. A new baby is a blessing and I look forward to seeing a little Meghan or a little Harry," he told the Daily Mail. "I was sitting in line waiting to cross the [United States-Mexico] border when I heard the baby announcement on the car radio...I thought, 'My baby is having a baby.'"