Thomas Markle, father of Meghan Markle, criticized his daughter in an interview released Sunday for “cheapening” the royal family to “Walmart with a crown” and tossing away “every girl’s dream” for “money.”
“It’s disappointing because she actually got every girl’s dream. Every young girl wants to become a princess and she got that and now she’s tossing that away, for, it looks like she’s tossing that away for money,” Mr. Markle told Channel 5 news, according to Reuters.
The father, who’s been estranged from Meghan since her marriage to Prince Harry, said his daughter and Harry signed on “to be part of the royals and to represent the royals” when they wed in 2018.
“This is, like, one of the greatest long-living institutions ever,” the father said in the released documentary footage. “They are destroying it; they are cheapening it; they’re making it shabby.”
Harry and Meghan “are turning it into a Walmart with a crown of it now,” he continued. “It is something that is ridiculous. They shouldn’t be doing this.”
Earlier this month, Duke and Duchess of Sussex Harry and Meghan dropped the bombshell announcement that they were planning to step away from royal duties and work to become financially independent.
“We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen,” the couple announced in a joint statement.
“It is with your encouragement, particularly over the last few years, that we feel prepared to make this adjustment,” Harry and Meghan said. “We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honour our duty to The Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages. This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity.”
Queen Elizabeth II announced Saturday that the exiting royals will have their “His Royal Highness and Her Royal Highness” titles stripped, as well as be financially cut off from royal funds, effective this spring.
“Harry, Meghan, and Archie will always be much loved members of my family,” the Queen said in a statement, noting her support for their “independent” life.
BREAKING: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are no longer "working members" of the royal family, according to Buckingham Palace.
Queen Elizabeth II: "Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved members of my family." https://t.co/2kGoWespzx pic.twitter.com/8VFlAUwHw2
— ABC News (@ABC) January 18, 2020
According to ABC News, with the guidelines issued by Buckingham Palace, “Prince Harry is losing his military titles and patronages including Captain General Royal Marines, Honorary Air Commandant Royal Air Force Honington and Small Ships and Diving, Royal Naval Command: Commodore in Chief. He will also no longer be a Commonwealth Youth Ambassador. Harry and Meghan will keep their roles at the Queen’s Commonwealth Truth – Harry serves as president and Meghan is vice-president.”
As far as hearing from Meghan, Mr. Markle doesn’t see that happening any time soon.
“I can’t see her reaching out to me, especially now … or Harry for that matter, but I think both of them are turning into lost souls at this point,” he said, according to Reuters.
“I don’t know what they’re looking for. I don’t think they know what they are looking for,” he added.
The full documentary with Channel 5 news is set to be released in the coming weeks.