I was a bit surprised that the main Oprah interview with the Sussexes didn’t include anything about the toxic White Markles, mostly her half-sister Samantha (Grant) Markle and her father Thomas Markle. Both Samantha and Thomas eagerly and disgustingly sold out Meghan constantly. Samantha started giving paid interviews to British outlets starting as early as 2017. Thomas Markle spent much of Meghan and Harry’s engagement posing for “paparazzi” photos, and then post-wedding, he went on a tear through the British media, blatantly reading off the toxic, abusive scripts the media had written for him. As it turns out, Oprah did ask Meghan about all of that, and CBS This Morning aired those clips. Here’s Meghan talking about her father:
"'I just need you to tell me. And if you tell me the truth, we can help.' And he wasn't able to do that." — Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, on a conversation she had with her father regarding tabloids #OprahMeghanHarry pic.twitter.com/XhPwGM0Uvl
— CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) March 8, 2021
Not surprised that the British media held the Thomas Markle story until the week before the wedding. And then he f–king lied to her. As for Samantha… trash. Always been trash. It would be like some distant cousin who you’ve only met a few times in your life suddenly saturating the media, making up stories about your life. Anyway, in a different part of the interview (the main one), Meghan said something about what she’s lost throughout this ordeal and her father was on the list. She’s written him off. Good. Oh, and Doria has not said a word to any media outlet. Pure class.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
The fact that both of their fathers have actively tried to hurt them is so awful and mind boggling.
how grim it is that they could bond over such a fact.
They are not fathers but sperm donors – in the very truest sense of the word.
But also makes so much sense on why they gravitated to each other and have such a deep connection. They are each lucky to have someone that can so closely understand what it is like not to be supported and to feel support of each other.
And probably why the understand each other so well. They come from different backgrounds but they have a lot in common.
high-five, Amy Bee!
It happens so often unfortunately.
Even just royal wise, Phillip was quite an awful excuse of a father. Andrew might be okay with his daughters but I wouldn’t say a good father ends up doing what he did. That hurt his own daughters for sure.
William…I get the feeling he comes around for the camera mostly and leaves the kids to nanny. He’ll broker access to them, we know that.
Edward might be the only good dad of the remaining “main” UK lot.
This is to me what really showed Meghan’s class. She could have ripped those two a new one and no one other than Piers Morgan would have batted an eye. I guess she figured when some things are that obvious, why say more?
Exactly MSIAM. What else is there left to say about these 2. Some people would pray for them. I’m not one of those people.
He has said his hateful comments anyway. You know he couldn’t resist.
So, wait. The institution was like “We will only interfere once with the media and after we will never be able to ever help you again?!”
Yeah, I didn’t get that?! Who writes these rules?
Yeah, I didn’t get that?! Who writes these rules?
The fact that Meghan was willing to give up her one free media interference ticket for her father just shows how much she trusted the firm would protect her.
So did she ever use the one free ticket or did it expire after the wedding?
Yes, that confused me too – and she repeated it the same way – as though if they defended Toxic Tom then they would never, ever be able to defend any member of their little family again – which makes no sense. Or maybe I’m just being dim?
I understood it to mean that they were going to use an I-owe-you to kill the story, but that once its been used, that’s it. Can’t ask someone for the same favor twice.
Yeah that part didn’t make sense – she told her dad we can try to kill this story but then we won’t be able to protect our future children and he said no don’t kill this story. Isn’t that…a sign of decency that he didn’t use their free ticket for himself? I’m not a Tom apologist I think he’s trash, I just didn’t get what she was trying to imply with that story.
He didn’t say no don’t kill this story, he said no regarding her question of did he talk to the media. He lied to her and she knew it because she had already been contacted by the tabloids about the story coming out, so she caught him in the lie and was appalled and disgusted that he would lie to her to make her feel like he was the victim so she’d use the catch-and-kill card for him instead of saving it for when it might be needed for her child.
I think she’s referring to catch and kill, which is fairly common (and which Ronan Farrow discusses in his book of the same name). Basically you can buy the story from the media and they won’t run it. Allegedly Murdoch papers do this a lot, and many times they use it as a form of blackmail: instead of the celebrity approaching the paper, the paper approaches the celebrity and says this is what we have on you, what’ll you give us to squash the story?
I don’t think it’s a one-time deal for all members of the royal family; they obviously do this sort of bargaining and story exchange all the time, whenever it benefits them. I think Meghan specifically was told that the palace would step in for her one time and one time only. I’m sure it was in the larger context of her pleading with the palace to step in against the barrage of media attacks, to which the response was sure we can step in, but only one time so make sure this story is really worth it.
@Sunday, that makes so much sense! Thanks for elaborating.
In the end, as painful as it must have been to have this story run, it would be intolerable to have it hang over her head as leverage for the rest of time, and not be able to fight back.
It does bring up the interesting questions about how often this process may have been used by *other* royals? What kind of stories get buried, and what is “owed” in return?
It must feel like Meghan can once again breathe after letting the truth out. I imagine this is also a step in a positive direction for her mental well being. Let us not forget this is a pregnant woman who is raging wit hormones on the inside.
As someone who has cut off a toxic biological mother, I cheer this on. Go girl. I know how frustrating and isolating it can be, but man, my life is so much better. Hers will be so much better too.
I was thrilled that the markles had next to zero content in the main interview.
The less attention they get, the less oxygen you give the fire.
I love the way she writes off her “sister” she barely knew.
Well she changed her name back to markle when i started dating harry.
That does indeed say it all.
Dignity is exactly the word I would use to describe how her mother has conducted herself. Absolute grace.
However.
I can’t help but think that she would be well within her rights to be telling the media to go f**k themselves over how their behaviour has been dripping with racism. And then I can’t help but think about how she would have been torn apart as an “angry Black woman” if she did.
So respect to her for her grace and dignity: but we need to get to a place where she could express her no doubt more than justified rage about her daughter’s treatment without fear.
The most respectable dignified person in this conversation about family is Doria.
Toxic Tom is supposed to be on British TV this week. I wonder what they will ask him now. I wonder how he’ll spin this now.
It seems as if the British media and the royal family are just going to double down on their behavior.
I’m sure his good buddy Piss Morgan will hand him another script to go off on.
Doubling down seems like a good way to ensure the monarchy ends really. The public now knows they tried to drive another woman to kill herself and played the exact same games as with Diana. Good will is totally gone as their usefulness to the taxpayers was long ago.
This was their last wake up call. Reform or be abolished.
They don’t seem to realize that the British press would love them to be destroyed too. They’re not really backing them up on this for them, they’re helping accelerate the end of monarchy. Because just think of the coverage it would provide for them. Years and years of headlines and clicks.
I feel Meghan could have forgiven him for the first time but he continuing goes to the media and makes money from betraying her so I too would have him dead to me.
And here’s Meghan bringing more restraint and class while still making it clear she’s not ok with her dad’s bs or Samantha’s. She speaks with empathy about her dad, but still points out her mom dealt with all the press stuff too and still was there for Meghan. She doesn’t insult Samantha, just says she doesn’t really know her and points out a damning fact. She’s really so good at this! Such a class act!
I’m in the UK so haven’t seen the full interview yet but some of the clips have made me cry. Thank goodness they have each other for love and support and are soon to be a beautiful family of four. I’m ashamed to be British seeing the vindictive, racist abuse they’ve been subjected to. As Harry more or less said, when it comes to people who can’t see their own racism, there are none so blind as those who WILL not see. Bring on Scottish Independence if we will no longer have this “institution” as our head of state. I’m so disgusted and disappointed in a lot of my fellow Brits.
I’m completely disgusted and disappointed in my fellow Brits too, @SpaceGeek. I hope the entire monarchy burns to the ground. We need to all be able to inhabit spaces previously and exclusively colonised and inhabited by whiteness, by the institutions that separate us and divide us. I hope that Meghan has started this conversation. Seriously.
Thank you for your words! “British Values” are cemented in fairness. We joke about queuing and stiff upper lip, but we are under the false impression that if we treat others how we would like to be treated, all will be well. That polite facade was ripped violently from my eyes over the last few years. I also always believed, that enmasse millions would have the intelligence and self awareness to check their privilege; that we held a notion of championing the underdog… gone… GONE!
To use a Scottish phrase, I’m completely scunnered. I will no longer gently educate those who aren’t smart or good enough to be good people. I will scorch earth and cancel these 🤬 Done, done, effing DONE!!!!
I’m moving to Scotland, half hoping the independence project will go ahead, so disgusted of this behaviour from people here in England (the BRF are not exceptional in their racism and xenophobia).
Oprah said this morning, when she does an interview, she tells the subject (s) what she’s looking to get out of it, asks them what they hope for, and they find a common meeting ground. The broadcast interview is 1 hour 20 minutes. The full interview was more than twice as long, well over 3 minutes, and had to be edited down. A very few additional parts were played this morning.
What happened with the Markles, specifically Meghan’s father Tom, was significant around the time of the wedding, but with respect to the larger story of how Meghan, Harry (and Archie) have been treated by the RF with the support of the BM, and the whole racist subtext, the Markles are a footnote. Hence they were talked about briefly this morning, not in yesterday’s main broadcast.
I think it was a good decision to air the parts of the interview about her father and “sister” today. Why give them a prime time spotlight? Meghan saying in the interview that she lost her father was enough and to the point.
Why should she give them the relevance they so desperately crave by mentioning them. Nope, glad she iced them , the don’t matter, why let them believe that they do.
Pure trash is what they are.
Come on though, if you can’t look at that Samantha lady and see she’s sick, you have an agenda. She’s what I call “sick in the face”. I mean, some people really wear their sick heads right on their face.
I love what Meghan said about her mother. Doria is an angel.
“l lost my father”.
I’m glad Meghan was not letting Bad Dad off the hook. Her mother Doria got the same press harassment and kept her mouth shut. TT dragged Meghan through the tabloid mud for coin and ego. Clear reason for Meghan to cut Daddy out for good. Love the take down of Scammy.
How Meghan’s mom hasn’t spoken to the press is pure class… I don’t know if it’s classy as much as how moms are supposed to act, you know? Thank goodness she has one dependable parent.
Every time I see this repulsive abhorrent man my stomach turns over. Vile character, repulsive appearance. You could plainly see her heartbreak when she discussed his betrayal.
I Keep flitting from story to story. I don’t know which one to comment on. There is just too much vile, reprehensible behaviour from the royals, the British media, British public, Meghan’s “family”… The more we discover, the more understandable it is that Harry and Meghan did absolutely the right thing for the sake of their family and their very sanity. A pox on every single royal house!
I seriously and sincerely hope that last night’s reveal ends any and all good interest in the RF.
How long before Samantha and/or Papa Markle go on Piers Morgan to talk about how much Meghan “lied”?
I can only imagine what he has to say this morning. I bet he was up bright and early too.
Lie about what? Samantha is almost twenty years older than Meghan, why nobody in the tabloids points this out shows just how intent they were/are on smearing Meghan. plus didn’t Samantha and Toxic Jr. grow up in New Mexico or something? As far as Poon Daddy, he’ll just dig his grave deeper. You just heard your daughter say she wanted to kill herself she was so depressed but you still go on TV to slam her?
Cue gif of Mariah: “I don’t know her.”
It is beyond disgusting that Samantha’s “glow up” in personal styling was funded 100% by saying terrible things about her sister. You can see through her photos as her hair and makeup become more expensive, reflecting how much she was willing to lie as long as people were willing to pay her. She probably has a new home funded from selling out her sister. What a terrible, terrible person she and her father are. My heart goes out to Meghan.