When Meghan Markle marries Prince Harry this Saturday, we should probably expect a few rules to be broken. Just a few weeks ago, Kensington Palace confirmed that Meghan's father, former lighting director Thomas Markle, would be the one to walk her down the aisle on her wedding day. After Meghan and Harry's engagement was announced last year, Thomas and her mother, Doria Ragland, released a joint statement after news of Meghan's engagement broke. "We are incredibly happy for Meghan and Harry. Our daughter has always been a kind and loving person. To see her union with Harry, who shares the same qualities, is a source of great joy for us as parents," they said. "We wish them a lifetime of happiness and are very excited for their future together."
However, on May 14, Thomas Markle gave an interview to TMZ in which he revealed that he would no longer be attending his daughter's wedding at all after he was caught staging photos of himself with the paparazzi in the weeks leading up to Meghan and Prince Harry's nuptials. Thomas said that he was offered anywhere between $50,000 to $100,000 for interviews, but he's turned them all down - though he did make a deal with a photo agency to take pictures, which she admitted were "stupid and hammy." He said that he meant no harm to Meghan or the royal family.
A Kensington Palace spokesperson released a statement to press, saying, "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."
On May 17, Meghan released a statement confirming her father would not attend due to health concerns. A few days before, Thomas told TMZ that he was undergoing heart surgery following the photo drama and would not be able to fly out to London under doctors orders.
So, who will now walk Meghan down the aisle? It was rumored that Doria would step in after Thomas's absence, but on May 18, it was confirmed that the former Suits actress had asked Prince Charles to walk her down the aisle. "Prince Charles was very touched to be asked by Meghan to walk her down the aisle and he is very much looking forward to welcoming her into the family," Us Weekly reports.
from POPSUGAR https://www.popsugar.com/celebrity/Who-Walk-Meghan-Markle-Down-Aisle-44468571
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