Meghan Markle divorced first husband and forgot him, but her estranged father ‘really liked Trevor’ and hates she ‘dumped’ him

Thomas Markle, Meghan Markle‘s estranged father, has opened up about his feelings regarding his daughter’s first marriage to Trevor Engelson, offering a glimpse into a chapter of the Duchess of Sussex’s life that predates her royal journey.

Before her high-profile relationship with Prince Harry, Meghan Markle’s life followed a different path. She met Trevor Engelson, a Hollywood producer, in 2004 while building her acting career in Los Angeles. Their seven-year-long relationship culminated in a beach wedding in Jamaica in 2011, but the marriage was relatively short-lived. It ended in divorce in 2014, two years before Meghan would meet her future husband, Prince Harry. The circumstances surrounding their separation have largely remained private.

As Thomas Markle, 80, prepares for a significant life change, moving away from his cliffside house in Mexico to seek a “fresh start” in Southeast Asia, he’s been sorting through memories of happier times. Speaking to The Daily Mail, Thomas shared intimate details of his life’s archive, which includes videos of Meghan’s first wedding, preserved alongside childhood photographs and school reports describing her as a child who “demonstrates constant effort and is active in classroom discussions.” Thomas has also revealed he misses Meghan’s previous husband, Trevor, who he thinks was a better fit for his daughter than Prince Harry.

Thomas Markle reflects on Meghan’s past relationship

While packing up his belongings, including cherished memories of his daughter’s life before royalty, Thomas reflected on Meghan’s love history. “I really liked Trevor,” he said, before adding, “I don’t think he ever understood why she dumped him, either.” Despite the apparent fondness for his former son-in-law, Thomas maintains that his love for his daughter remains unchanged. “I don’t like some of the things my daughter has done, but I will always love her,” he emphasized. “My door is always open to her. I love her, and that will never change. I love all my children.”

The relationship dynamics within the Markle family are complex. Thomas revealed that “Meghan once told me she wanted me to stop talking to Tom Jr and Samantha, my children from my first marriage. But what parent could ever agree to that?” This request appears to have been one of many points of tension in their relationship, which also involves Thomas trying to sabotage her wedding to Harry.

The father-daughter estrangement became public knowledge around the time of Meghan’s royal wedding to Prince Harry in 2018. Thomas, who suffered two heart attacks just before the ceremony, was unable to attend and walk his daughter down the aisle. He shared that he remains “incredibly grateful” to King Charles for stepping in to walk Meghan partway down the aisle at St. George’s Chapel. To this day, Thomas has never met his new son-in-law, Prince Harry, or his grandchildren, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. Despite living just 250 miles from the Sussexes’ £11 million mansion in Montecito, California, he has never been invited to visit. 

The contrast between Meghan’s two marriages couldn’t be more striking. While her first marriage ended quietly and away from the public eye, her current relationship with Prince Harry has been marked by unprecedented media attention and dramatic developments, including their decision to step back from royal duties in 2020 and their subsequent move to California. Thomas maintains hope for reconciliation through it all, stating, “My dream is that one day I could bring my whole family together, like a ‘normal’ family.”