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Royals

Meghan Markle confirms dad will not attend royal wedding

The bride-to-be has said she's "sad" her father will not attend

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Meghan Markle has confirmed her father Thomas will not attend the royal wedding.

The former actress has issued a statement via Kensington Palace following the news Thomas, 73, has undergone heart surgery.

Meghan has issued a statement about her father (Credit: FameFlynet)

Meghan said: “Sadly my father will not be attending our wedding. I have always cared for my father and hope he can be given the space he needs to focus on his health.

“I would like to thank everyone who has offered generous messages of support.”

Meghan added: “Please know how much Harry and I look forward to sharing our special day with you on Saturday.”

The statement was released on Thursday morning (Credit: Twitter)

The 36-year-old will tie the knot with Prince Harry, 33, at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle at noon this Saturday.

It has not been confirmed who will walk her down the aisle in Thomas’ absence.

Meghan’s father Thomas is said to be alert and recovering following a heart procedure on Wednesday.

Meghan will marry Prince Harry on Saturday (Credit: Eddie Mulholland – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Thomas previously told TMZ he will remain in hospital for the next few days, ruling out any chance he could travel to the UK for the wedding.

The former Hollywood lighting director, who split from Meghan’s mum when she was a child, said he needed stents in his blood vessels to correct damage caused by an earlier heart attack.

Kensington Palace had previously confirmed Mr Markle would walk Meghan down the aisle.

But on Monday night, he pulled out of the wedding, amid speculation he’d worked with a photography agency on staged paparazzi pictures.

Meghan and Harry previously asked for “respect and understanding” towards Mr Markle (Credit: Wenn)

It was claimed Thomas didn’t want to cause any further embarrassment, and was also concerned about his poor health.

At the time, Kensington Palace reacted with a statement reading: “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.”

It’s unclear who will walk Meghan down the aisle (Credit: FameFlynet)

The following day Mr Markle suggested he’d changed his mind and was keen to walk Meghan down the aisle.

However, shortly afterwards Thomas told TMZ he would unlikely be able to travel to the UK as he needed to undergo heart surgery.

It’s suggested Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland could now walk her daughter down the aisle in Thomas’ place.

Doria arrived in the UK from LA yesterday.

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Nancy Brown
Associate Editor

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