Meghan Markle's father WILL be at royal wedding -- but gabby half-sister won't, reports say

Contra Costa Times - 3/26/2018

March 26--Meghan Markle's reclusive 73-year-old father Thomas Markle has been invited to her May 19 wedding to Prince Harry -- and reportedly will overcome his shyness to walk his Los Angeles-reared daughter down the aisle in front of a global TV audience.

But Markle's older half-sister, Samantha Grant, who has spoken negatively about her in interviews, won't be at the wedding itself at Windsor Castle's St. George's Chapel, the Sun reported. The talkative Florida based mental health counselor and writer is Thomas Markle's daughter from a previous marriage and is 16 years Markle's senior.

However, Grant is expected to be in Windsor on the day of the nuptials -- offering commentary for a TV channel, the Sun reported.

The Sun, quoting a Markle family friend, said over the weekend that Thomas Markle is "overjoyed to be beside his little girl on the day she comes a princess." The former TV lighting designer lives a quiet life in Mexico.

He'll have to "battle his demons" to get to the U.K. for the wedding, the Sun reported. Those demons apparently involve "crippling shyness."

"He's not exactly thrilled at facing the world's glare," the family friend told The Sun. "But nothing will stop him from having Meghan on his arm for the big day."

It has been previously reported that Markle's mother, yoga instructor Doria Ragland, who divorced Thomas Markle when Meghan was 6, also has been invited to the wedding.

It also was previously reported that Markle, who became known to TV audiences starring on the legal drama "Suits," was unlikely to invite Grant and her older half-brother Thomas Markle Jr.

The Daily Mail and USA Today noted that the future princess hasn't had much contact with them in recent years, and both criticized her publicly after her engagement to Harry was announced in late November.

Grant had also boasted on Twitter that she was writing a tell-all book about her sister called "The Diary of Princess Pushy's Sister." She also portrayed Markle in interviews as a social climbing opportunist who shunned her family after making it in Hollywood. The Daily Mail quoted Grant as saying that she and Markle hadn't seen each other since 2008.

Grant furthermore claimed on Twitter that the family had disowned Thomas Markle Jr. because he has a drinking problem and mental health issues.

The 51-year-old brother, who lives in Grants Pass, Oregon, was arrested in January 2017 on suspicion of holding a gun to a woman's head during a drunken argument, The Sun previously reported. He was later charged with menacing, pointing a firearm at another person and unlawful use of a weapon, the Sun said. He said he had since apologized and said he is "seeking help."

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