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A Royal expert has defended Meghan Markle after a fundraiser was set up to mark her father Thomas Markle's 80th birthday last month. Lady Colin Campbell organized a GoFundMe campaign to show sympathy for Thomas, who has been estranged from Meghan since 2018. However, other royal commentators have criticized the fundraiser as unnecessary and aimed at making Meghan look bad.
Thomas Markle turned 80 years old on July 18th. To mark the occasion, Lady Colin Campbell - a British author known for writing books on the royal family - set up an online fundraiser through GoFundMe. She stated the goal was to collect £10,000 for Thomas to "show him that there are still good people in the world who care about him," given that he is estranged from Meghan and has had no contact with Prince Harry or their children Archie and Lilibet.
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Within a few weeks, the fundraiser had received over £6,500 in donations from well-wishers. However, some royal experts argued the campaign was misguided and intended to embarrass Meghan. Veteran BBC royal correspondent Jenny Bond told outlets like OK Magazine that the fundraiser was a "ridiculous idea." She said "I'm sorry that [Thomas'] daughter doesn't want him in her life, however he has another daughter and a son who can certainly take care of their father perfectly."
Bond noted there are many people around the world who are in far greater need of financial support than Thomas Markle, who is retired and lives in Mexico. She believes the fundraiser was set up more to make Meghan look bad for not communicating with her father, rather than out of genuine concern for his wellbeing. Other royal commentators echoed this view, seeing it as an unnecessary PR stunt that put additional pressure on the estranged family's relationship.
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However, Lady Colin Campbell insisted her intentions were goodhearted. When questioned by Express.co.uk, she rejected the notion that the fundraiser aimed to embarrass or criticize Meghan. She emphasized it was specifically designed "as an opportunity to show Thomas Markle that there are good people out there using their hearts and minds." Campbell noted that Thomas' other daughter Samantha suffers from multiple sclerosis and cannot work, while his son Thomas Jr. acts as their full-time caregiver - implying they may not be able to fully support their father financially.
The ongoing tensions between Thomas Markle and Meghan were further highlighted last summer when he gave an interview comparing himself to King Charles III. Speaking to The Mail on Sunday in June 2022, Thomas said he felt a "deep sympathy" for the King due to their similar family situation with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Both men are estranged from their daughter and son-in-law, and dealing with health issues, according to Thomas.
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He stated, "Neither of us deserved the treatment we received...I am not in the best of health. I am not afraid of death - it is what it is." While undergoing cancer treatment, Thomas said he wished to speak to King Charles directly to share "as many unanswered questions" as the monarch likely has about his own estrangement from Prince Harry and Meghan. However, there is little sign Meghan intends to reconcile with her father anytime soon, especially given his repeated public criticisms of her in media interviews.
Meanwhile, tensions within the wider Markle family continue with Meghan's half-sister Samantha pursuing a dismissal appeal over her 2020 defamation lawsuit against the Duchess. Samantha had sued Meghan for comments made during her Oprah interview alleging her childhood was difficult, as well as statements on her and Prince Harry's Netflix series. While the trial judge dismissed the case last year due to lack of evidence, Samantha is now petitioning a higher court to have the dismissal overturned so the lawsuit may proceed to a full trial.
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The Markle family divisions show no signs of healing, despite Lady Colin Campbell's fundraiser intending to offer an olive branch to Thomas on his birthday. While some argue more should be done to reconcile estranged relatives, Meghan has clearly chosen to cut ties with her father and sister, leaving the public disputes between the two sides to continue playing out through the court system and media. It remains to be seen if any members of the fractured family will be able to resolve their differences privately in the years to come.
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