When it comes to family, Meghan Markle has had a pretty rough go of it — and we're not talking about the royals (though there's obviously been drama there, too). Since the moment we found out about her relationship with Prince Harry, we've heard volumes from her dad, Thomas Markle, and her half siblings, who are estranged from Meghan but still have a lot of negative things to say about their former loved one.
Most recently, the Duchess of Sussex's half sister, Samantha Markle, has mentioned plans to sue her based on the things Meghan has said publicly about her childhood — and that's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the shade Meghan's family has been throwing for the past few years.
Read on to find out all of the not-so-nice things that Meghan's family has said about her since she was thrust into the limelight by becoming a member of the royal family. It sadly doesn't seem like she'll ever be able to patch things up with her dad, especially since he (and his children) can't stop talking about her to the press.
Check out our Meghan Markle page for all the latest news about Meghan, Prince Harry, and their growing family.
Sued by Her Sister
After Meghan and Harry's March 2021 tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey, Samantha had a major bone to pick with her sister, and now she's taking that frustration to court. As TMZ reported on March 3, Samantha is suing Meghan for telling a "rags-to-riches" story that she says simply isn't true. But Meghan's lawyer, Michael Kump, has already fired back.
"This baseless and absurd lawsuit is just a continuation of a pattern of disturbing behavior. We will give it the minimum attention necessary, which is all it deserves," he said in a statement.
Thomas Markle Demands To See His Grandchildren
Speaking of getting lawyers involved, Meghan's father may be doing the same thing. In an October 2021 interview with Good Morning Britain, Thomas revealed that he'd met with lawyers to find out if he could sue Meghan for visitation with grandkids Archie and Lili, since Meghan had yet to introduce them to him.
Sharing Meghan's Letter
Perhaps the biggest shade that anyone in Meghan's family has thrown her way has to do with the private letter that Meghan wrote her father being published by the Daily Mail. In it, she begged him to stop talking to the press about her.
"If you love me, as you tell the press you do, please stop. Please allow us to live our lives in peace," she wrote. "Please stop lying, please stop creating so much pain, please stop exploiting my relationship with my husband. I realize you are so far down this rabbit hole that you feel (or may feel) there's no way out, but if you take a moment to pause I think you'll see that being able to live with a clear conscience is more valuable than any payment in the world."
Meghan's Brother Blames Her for His Problems
In a 2020 interview with New Idea, Meghan's half brother, Thomas Markle Jr., said that Meghan had "destroyed" his life since he'd lost his job and was unable to get another because of his association to her.
"I am homeless and could have been under a bridge with a cardboard sign begging for money, but thankfully my mom has taken me in," he said at the time, adding that Meghan or "someone at the Palace" should have helped him financially.
Samantha's Tell-All Book
It was pretty early in Meghan's career as a royal when Samantha announced she'd be writing a tell-all book about growing up alongside the future Duchess of Sussex. Ultimately titled The Diary of Princess Pushy's Sister, it didn't exactly get the best reviews when it debuted in January 2021.
Her Dad's Take on Her Royal Exit
It should surprise no one that after Meghan and Harry made the decision to walk away from royal life, her father had something to say (very publicly) about it.
"I'm very upset with Meghan and Harry right now," he told TMZ at the time. "I don't think they have a right to use the word royal. I don't think they have a right to speak to the Queen the way they've spoken to her. I think it's an insult to the Queen and to the British people."
Her Dad's Documentary
In case you missed it, in early 2020, Thomas worked with ITV to release a documentary called Thomas Markle: My Story, in which he had more than enough grievances to air about his estranged daughter leaving royal life.
"Every young girl wanted to become a princess, and she got that and now she's tossing that away. It looks like she's tossing that away for money," he said in the film, reported Daily Mail.
Cult Comparisons
In an interview with The Sun in August 2018, Thomas Sr. compared the royal family to a cult because of their secrecy.
"They are either like Scientologists or the Stepford family," he said. "If they hear anybody say anything they just lock the doors. They need to speak up!"
Comments About Lili
After Meghan and Harry welcomed their second child, Lili, in 2021, Thomas told 60 Minutes Australia (via Us Weekly) that his daughter hadn't told him of her birth.
"No phone calls. I just heard it on the radio," he said on the show. "I haven't spoken to [Meghan] since two days before they got married."
How She Treated Her Ex
Meghan's brother had a lot to say about her during his time on Celebrity Big Brother Australia, and some of his comments involved the reason her marriage to Trevor Engelson ended in 2013.
"Trevor took care of her, she was adored by him, and she walked all over him and dumped him. That fast," Thomas Jr. said on the show (via Daily Mail), adding that Harry was next on "the chopping board."
Calling Her Shallow
In another scene from Big Brother, Thomas Jr. took the opportunity to warn Harry: "I think she's going to ruin your life. She's very shallow." Something tells us Harry likely wasn't watching the show, though, so he may never have gotten to hear his brother-in-law's warning.
Meghan's Mental Health
After Meghan was so open about her struggles with mental health while pregnant and postpartum with Archie, her brother revealed that he had his doubts that she was telling the truth.
"I don't 100% buy that and I don't agree with some of the things on the Oprah interview like not having those [mental health] services available. I can't imagine being that sheltered," he said on Big Brother, via The Mirror.
Forgiveness Is Off the Table
Shortly after the Oprah interview aired, Samantha told a New Zealand talk radio host that she thought Meghan and Harry belonged in counseling after all they'd said on TV, calling Meghan "a narcissist who is not capable of empathy, remorse or shame."
"I would suggest for the benefit of all them, especially the children, that they get counseling. Harry is in no position to work for a company that deals with misinformation or mental health issues until he himself is made whole, and until they get a grip on what the truth is," she said, via Fox News.
A Not Very Happy Birthday Message
When Meghan celebrated her birthday in August 2021, Samantha shared a birthday message for her sister that might not have been well received.
"Tell your attorneys and your PR people I said to step to the curb. First of all, you're not 12 or 19 and even if you were, Dad's given you everything your whole life and has been amazing to you. You have no right to treat him like this or the royal family or anyone, you are 40," she told GB News, via Express. "How long will it take for you to wake up and be decent and be that humanitarian that your PR makes you out to be?"
Taking a Dig at Harry
In March 2021, Thomas told Good Morning Britain that while it was upsetting to hear about Meghan's mental health problems, he didn't know why Harry hadn't protected her from them.
"It really did upset me, like I said it would have been easy for her to reach out to me or the rest of her family who she claims she doesn't know. The other thing is I would think she could turn to her husband," he said, adding that Harry had "obviously not supported her that well."
