Thomas Markle, Meghan Markle's father, has admitted he lied to his daughter about selling stories to the press about her, following her bombshell interview with Oprah.
Thomas sat down for a virtual interview with Good Morning Britain from his home in Rosarito, Mexico where he admitted to hosts Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid that he sold stories about his daughter to the press in order to try and get her to talk to him.
"When they say I'm lying and taking advantage of the press... if I don't hear from them in 30 days, I'll do a story for the press. I'd love to hear from them. When they start talking to me, I'll stop talking to the press," he admitted.
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Meghan described her father's behaviour as a "betrayal" during her Sunday interview with Oprah, which aired in the UK on Monday evening.
Thomas said he had not seen his daughter since 2018 and he spoke about not being able to attend her wedding. he'd not seen his daughter since 2018. "This is actually the first time I've heard her speak in about four years, the last time we spoke - we actually texted each other - I was lying in hospital after having a heart attack.
"I had to tell them I couldn't come to the wedding. At that point, we pretty much said goodbye," he said.
He also explained that he was contacted by a photographer who said he could make him 'look good' amid the growing attention around him from the press. "I couldn't do anything without photos being taken of me. They were making me an alcoholic, calling me names," he said.
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He added: "Yes, I went through a deal with a man who was going to make me look better. I believed him, I thought it was going to work, it didn't of course."
Thomas continued: "We were attacked by the press every day, nobody was there to care for us, nobody looked after us. No-one helped us. Then I saw a headline that said they recommended to Harry and Meghan that someone came and helped me, which they denied. I was left out to dry. I also said we all make mistakes."
He was also asked about his daughter's mental health struggles after she admitted to having 'suicidal thoughts' as a result of the backlash from the media.
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"It really did upset me," he said. "It would have been easy to reach out to me."
"Had I known she was having psychological problems, I would have been there for her", he added.
"I just didn't see a solution," Meghan said candidly during the two hour interview with Oprah, discussing the mental health toll of the vitriol that was thrown her way.
"Look, I was really ashamed to have to say [I was suicidal] at the time and ashamed to have to admit it to Harry especially, but I knew that if I didn't say that I would do it.
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"I just didn't want to be alive anymore."
"It takes so much courage to admit you need help," she added, "to admit how dark of a place you're in."
When asked by Oprah just how close she got to taking her life, Meghan responded that her suicidal thoughts were "real and frightening", adding that at points she couldn't be left alone.
He also encouraged Meghan to get in contact with him now that they are only "70 miles away from him" following the Sussex's relocation to California.
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Towards the end of the interview, he said: "I'm sorry for what I've done, this was a long time ago, I've certainly tried to make up for it. The stories in the paper each time ae because I've not heard from you."
Featured Image Credit: ITVTopics: TV and Film, Good Morning Britain, Prince Harry, Royals, Meghan Markle