In call with Markle's dad, Prince Harry 'expressed support' for Trump, Brexit

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In call with Markle's dad, Prince Harry 'expressed support' for Trump, Brexit

By Latika Bourke

London: Meghan Markle's father Thomas has revealed the contents of his first private phone call with Prince Harry, saying that the sixth in line to the throne urged his father-in-law to give Donald Trump a chance as President.

Markle, who became a global news sensation after staging paparazzi photographs at the same time Kensington Palace was urging the media to respect his privacy, said he was jealous of Prince Charles for walking his daughter down the aisle at the royal wedding.

Speaking to Britain's ITV, Markle said that on the day he first spoke to Prince Harry, who he has never met face to face, he was unhappy with the idea of Trump as President.

"[Harry] said 'give Donald Trump a chance'. I sort of disagreed with that, I still like Harry, that was his politics, I have my politics," he said.

Asked if he thought Harry was a "Trump supporter", his father-in-law said: "I would hope not now but at the time he might have been".

Harry's comments on Trump may be surprising to some, as it has been reported that he enjoys a friendship with Trump's political foe Barack Obama. Last year, the prince interviewed Obama for a BBC radio program he was guest-editing.

Before her marriage into the royal family, Meghan Markle criticised Trump as a "misogynist".

Thomas Markle said he apologised for setting up paparazzi pictures of him being fitted for a suit.

Thomas Markle said he apologised for setting up paparazzi pictures of him being fitted for a suit.

On Brexit, Markle described Harry's views as being "open to the experiment".

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The royal family takes pride in being scrupulously neutral on political issues.

Buckingham Palace complained about a report in 2016 in The Sun, which quoted unnamed sources saying the Queen spoke with "venom and emotion" against the European Union during a lunch with former Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg.

Leading Brexit supporters say Britain wrongly turned its back on the Commonwealth in favour of the European project when it joined the Common Market in the 1970s.

Harry has, in recent years, increased the number of trips he has made to Commonwealth countries. Harry and Meghan, now known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, are due to visit Australia this year for the Invictus games, one of the couple's first overseas trips as newlyweds.

Markle said he did not stage the paparazzi pictures for money but to try and change his image.

Thomas Markle said he had a heart attack days before the wedding and cried when he watched it on TV.

Thomas Markle said he had a heart attack days before the wedding and cried when he watched it on TV.Credit: AP

He said he realised it was a serious mistake and apologised to his daughter and son-in-law.

"They were very forgiving, both Harry and Meghan were very forgiving about it," he said. "Meghan said 'everything is ready for you'. Harry said 'I've got one of my military friends to look after you'. Everything was booked."

But the staged pictures caused a global scandal and put Markle at the centre of the world's insatiable media coverage in the days leading up to the wedding.

He said he pulled out of attending and walking his daughter down the aisle for her second marriage because he couldn't get over what happened.

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He said he began experiencing heart palpitations and suffered a heart attack in the days before the wedding, forcing him to cancel his trip to London.

He said he was "jealous" but "honoured" Charles ended up walking Meghan down the aisle in his place.

"I wish I was there, I wish it had been me," he said.

He ended up watching the wedding along with nearly two billion other people on live television, hiding from the world's press in a small bed and breakfast organised by a friend.

"I cried about it and I regretted it because I really wanted to walk my daughter down the aisle."

Kensington Palace was contacted for comment.

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