It’s head-spinning and all a bit dizzying.
Thomas Markle, the father of actress and royal bride-to-be Meghan Markle, on Monday became the subject of British tabloid reports on Monday, after news broke of a photo scam carried out by an Los Angeles-based member of the paparazzi.
The elder Markle was photographed at an internet café in Rosarito, Mexico, in ostensibly natural poses such as combing the internet for news about his daughter’s upcoming wedding and reading the book “Images of Britain.” CCTV footage later revealed the photos were staged.
After the scandal made waves across the Atlantic, Markle then indicated he would not be attending his daughter’s wedding this coming Saturday to Prince Harry. He told TMZ he was suffering from chest pains, the result of a heart attack he’d suffered nearly a week earlier.
“I’ve been popping Valium for the pain, especially when I hear about my oldest daughter,” he said.
Thomas Markle also revealed to TMZ he felt shame for having posed for what he called “stupid and hammy” photos. He explained he was offered a sum of money for the pics — nowhere near the earlier reported $100,000 — and that he saw no harm in engaging in the charade.
Meghan Markle’s half-sister, Samantha, confessed to the British talk show “Loose Women” that she was behind the staged photos.
“I have to say I am entirely the culprit,” said Samantha Markle. “As we know, the media can take very unflattering photographs of people on their casual days and blow it way out of proportion. I said, you know, the world has no idea you’re getting in shape, doing healthy things. They don’t photograph you buying vegetables and PH water. They photograph you [in the most] unflattering ways …”
As for Kensington Palace, British royalty was reportedly blindsided by Thomas Markle’s decision to withdraw from giving his daughter away at her wedding. But that was then; this story is clearly still evolving …
Related: Meghan Markle’s Father ‘Busted’ Over Fishy Photos
Earlier, Meghan Markle had indicated she was “devastated” about the news from her father, according to “Entertainment Tonight.”
Should something change yet again and her father not make it after all, a leading candidate to stand in his place at the royal wedding had been her mother, Doria Ragland, a yoga instructor who lives in Los Angeles, according to reports. But one never knows.
Kyle Becker is a content writer and producer with LifeZette. Follow him on Twitter.
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