Thomas Markle, 80, revealed he would pack up and move to the other side of the world where there are ‘kinder people’ – but it may stand in he way of him meeting his grandchildren

Meghan Markle’s estranged father Thomas may never meet his grandchildren after announcing he is ditching America and relocating across the globe.

Thomas, 80, revealed this weekend that he would pack up and move to the other side of the world where there are “kinder people”, with his sights set on South East Asia.

The former lighting director became estranged from Meghan in the lead-up to her wedding, when she accused him of selling pictures to the paparazzi. In a bombshell 2021 interview, Meghan told Oprah Winfrey: “I grieve a lot… I’ve lost my father”.

Not long before Meghan and Harry tied the knot in 2018, Thomas also suffered ill-health – including two heart attacks and a stroke in 2022. He has not been on talking terms with Meghan since, and has never met his grandchildren Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3, who live around 250 miles away in Montecito, California.

Thomas Markle has never met his grandchildren ( 
Image:
Channel 5)

Explaining his decision to move abroad aged 80, Thomas told MailOnline: “I am ready for a change. I have felt stuck in a rut for some time and I am ready to meet new people and experience kindness.” He added that he wants to live more in a more “peaceful” setting with none of the “awful drama of recent years”.

In September last year, Thomas branded Prince Harry and Meghan Markle “cruel” as he made a plea to see his grandkids on live TV. He appeared on Good Morning Britain where he spoke to hosts Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley about healing his relationship with his daughter, as he shared his hope to see his grandkids.

Speaking on the show, Thomas said that he was desperate to see Archie and Lilibet, adding it was “cruel” for him not to be allowed to see them. He said: “I’m very upset about it as well because this is a cruel thing to do to a grandparent … To deny the right to see their grandchild.”

Thomas did not walk Meghan down the aisle when she married Harry in 2018 ( 
Image:
Netflix)

More than a year on, the father-of-three admitted he will most likely never meet Archie and Lillibet, but is looking forward to travelling with his son and Meghan’s half brother, Thomas Jr. He said “it’s time to move on” and “enjoy the time I have left” somewhere that offers “peace”.

Opening up about her relationship with her father, Meghan previously spoke of the hurt and “betrayal she felt” by Thomas, particularly when he lied to her about not talking to the media. Meghan told Oprah in 2021: “I’m trying to decide if I’m comfortable even talking about that. It was… if we were going to use the word betrayal.”

Thomas has meanwhile admitted that despite the fact that he doesn’t like some of Meghan’s behaviour, his “door is always open”.