Celebrity News

Meghan Markle’s half-sister takes blame for father’s staged photos

Her papa’s no paparazzo.

Meghan Markle’s half-sister took the blame for her father’s staged photoshoots Monday, claiming she suggested them “for the benefit of the royal family.”

“The bad press over my father doing staged photos is my fault,” Samantha Markle tweeted from a protected account, according to screenshots that were posted by 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.”

A report from the Daily Mail on Sunday said the bride-to-be’s dad, Thomas Markle, 72, worked with LA-based celeb snapper Jeff Rayner on staged images showing him preparing for the royal wedding.

Some of the images showed Markle — who is set to give away his daughter at Windsor Castle on Saturday — being fitted for a suit, studying up on British landmarks and looking at news reports about the big day at an internet café in Mexico, where he lives.

The phony photos were sold off and reportedly netted Rayner $135,000.

In her tweet, Markle seemed to deny her dad had reaped any of the windfall.

“We had no idea he would be taken advantage of,” she wrote. “It was not for money.”

Rayner’s agency, Coleman-Rayner, did not respond to a voicemail and email from The Post seeking comment Monday.

He told the Daily Mail: “For all questions, I have no comment. There is going to be no comment, thank you.”

Thomas Markle has received support from Kensington Palace since his daughter’s royal engagement was announced and is set to meet her fiancé, Prince Harry, for the first time this week, according to the Telegraph UK.

Neither he nor his daughter Samantha returned messages from The Post requesting comment Monday.

Kensington Palace declined to comment, the Mail reported.