Thomas Markle can’t seem to stay out of the news. Ever since the father of the Duchess of Sussex staged paparazzi photos ahead of Meghan’s wedding (and subsequently did not attend the ceremony) Thomas has vocally protested his daughter’s actions and life as a whole.
Now, the 75-year-old has appeared in a documentary on Britain’s Channel 5 where he sought to clear his image and let people know he was “not all the trashy things” being said about him in the media. Over the course of the hour long interview, Thomas alternately harshly critiqued his daughter’s life choices, while simultaneously pleading with Meghan to contact him. “I want Harry and Meghan to see this video and know that this is not fair. And to them I don’t exist,” Thomas said at the beginning of the interview.
WATCH: Thomas Markle Pleads With Meghan Markle To Reach Out: ‘I’d Really Like To Hear From You’
In the revealing documentary, Thomas shared never-before-seen photos of his daughter’s life. He pulled out a collection of old photographs that catalogued Meghan’s childhood, stopping to point out a shot of him holding Meghan when she was around six months old. “There in that shot I’m holding her the way I see Meghan always holding (Archie),” Thomas shared, “ You know, with the little legs dangling.”
Thomas and Meghan were close growing up, and Thomas assured viewers that he “fell in love with her and never stopped,” adding, “I loved her very much. Still do.”
Meghan also may have gotten her love of acting and theater life from her father, who is a retired television lighting director and director of photography. Thomas even volunteered to do lighting for Meghan’s school plays when he noticed the sets were looking rundown. Then, in 1997, 15-year-old Meghan appeared in her school’s production of “Into The Woods” as Little Red Riding Hood, and Thomas said he knew his daughter would be a successful actress.
“When I saw my daughter performing on stage, I felt tremendous pride. I knew from the day she was born that she would eventually be doing that.” Thomas shared home videos of the performance, where Meghan performed her heart out on the set her father helped build.
Thomas also shared dozens of home videos he shot of him and Meghan enjoying quality father-daughter time together, including a fishing trip they took to Big Bear, California together in 1993. “Meghan was my most important relationship and my pride and joy,” he shared as video played of the two enjoying a horseback riding expedition together.
Growing up, Meghan seemingly shared the same sentiments towards her father—she even thanked him in a 2015 address to the United Nations, where she told a story about Thomas encouraging her to speak out for women’s rights. “We need more men like my father,” Meghan said in a clip shown in the documentary. “Who championed my 11 year old self to stand up for what is right.”
But now, the two do not speak. Thomas doesn’t have an exact answer as to why; he did say, however, that when he called Prince Harry to inform him he couldn’t make his and Meghan’s 2018 wedding due to his heart attack, Harry had some rude words for him. In turn, Thomas claims he responded, “It’s too bad I didn’t die because you guys could pretend that you’re sad,” before hanging up.
“Now that may have caused everything, I don’t know,” Thomas said of his rift with his daughter. “But I have not heard from them or spoken to them since.”
Despite seemingly wanting his daughter back in his life, Thomas also admitted that he is still profiting off of the staged paparazzi photos that initially strained his relationship with Meghan. He shared on the documentary that he “absolutely” intends to continue making money off of the photos, saying “Those pictures will sell forever.”
WATCH: Meghan Markle’s Father Thomas Reportedly Staged His Own Paparazzi Photos
But this, Thomas said, is his right. He claimed that the royals “owe him” for their poor treatment of him after he was hospitalized with a heart attack just ahead of Meghan’s wedding.
Part of Thomas’ defense of himself, he added, would be to continue getting paid for interviews.
“I’m going to defend myself. And I’m going to be paid for it. I’m not going to refuse to get paid for it. I’ll do future things and be paid for it, I think. I don’t care. At this point, they owe me. The royals owe me. Harry owes me. Meghan owes me. What I have been through, I should be rewarded for.”
Britain’s Channel 5 confirmed to NBC that they paid him for the interview “as we have done in the past for people’s time and contribution. We mention within the programme that he has been paid as part of the editorial and have been transparent about this. We never reveal how much we pay contributors.”
But Thomas Markle’s critiques weren’t only for how Harry and Meghan treated him—he also had some harsh words for how the couple left their official roles as senior royals.
“She actually got every girl’s dream,” Thomas said of Meghan. “Every young girl wanted to become a princess, and she got that, and now she’s tossing that away for — it looks like she’s tossing it away for money. … Apparently $3 million and a 26-bedroom home isn’t enough for them.” Thomas was seemingly referencing the couple’s $3 million renovation of their former home Frogmore Cottage, all of which will be returned to the British taxpayers.
Meghan’s father also hinted at financial struggles—he told the interviewer that his daughter had promised to look after him in his old age.
“My daughter told me when I reach my senior years, she’ll take care of me. I’m in my senior years now. I’m 75 years old, so it’s time to look after daddy.”
Even so, Thomas will likely soon testify against his daughter as she sued the Mail on Sunday for publishing a letter sent to Thomas by Meghan.
Despite his seemingly low opinion of his daughter and son-in-law’s choices, Thomas also repeatedly asked for them to contact him in the interview, and lamented at one point that he may not see the couple until he is “lowered into the ground,” adding, “I don’t think at this point they are thrilled to see me or want to talk to me.”