Meghan Markle’s dad will not attend her wedding to Prince Harry this week — after he was busted selling staged paparazzi photos of himself ahead of the big day, according to a new report.
Thomas Markle is bowing out of the royal nuptials so he doesn’t embarrass his daughter, TMZ reports.
Following the report, Kensington Palace said in a statement: “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.”
The 73-year-old also claims he had a heart attack six days ago, but had checked himself out of the hospital in anticipation of walking Meghan down the aisle.
The American actress’s dad was caught secretly collaborating with a British paparazzo to take “candid” photos of him preparing for the big day — with posed snaps of Thomas being fitted for his suit and reading up on UK landmarks.
Reports said he raked in more than $100,000 for the phony photo shoot — but Thomas tells TMZ the figure wasn’t anywhere near that high.
He says he just wanted to rehabilitate his image in the media before the wedding, because real paps kept catching him looking like a schlub.
On Monday, his daughter Samantha Markle — Meghan’s half-sister — took the blame for the decision.
“The bad press over my father doing staged photos is my fault,” Samantha tweeted from a protected account, according to the Daily Mail. “The media was unfairly making him look bad so I suggested he do positive photos for his benefit and the benefit of the royal family.”