Is Meghan Markle’s Father Alive? – Thomas Markle

Is Meghan Markle's Father Alive

Meghan Markle’s father, Thomas Markle, has not been given much airtime during the televised period of her relationship with Prince Harry. However, there is a lot to discover about this former Hollywood lighting director and his fascinating life. Meghan has spoken publicly and often about her parents, Thomas and Doria. Both are retired and reside in the small town of Ros.

Is Meghan Markle’s father alive?

Yes, Thomas Markle is Meghan Markle’s father, and he is alive. However, on May 17th, 2018, TMZ reported that he had staged photos with the paparazzi and, as a result, he was not going to be able to walk his daughter down the aisle on her wedding day.

Biography Of The Meghan Markle Father

  1. Thomas Markle was born on April 14, 1941, in a small town called Cecil, Maryland. He was the second son of an oil company worker. His father left him when he was a child, and his mother moved to Los Angeles as an actress to pursue her career.
  2. Thomas is the only child of Doria and Thomas Markle Sr., who died on November 25, 1981, at the age of 81 years old. Doria studied acting at the University of California and worked as an actress in Hollywood for twenty years before retiring from her acting career. She then married Thomas Sr. on October 27th, 1948, in Los Angeles County, California. It is unknown what happened to her husband after they married, as she has not been seen in any media since he died over thirty years ago.
  3. Thomas grew up in Cecil, Maryland, with his parents and three siblings: Victoria Marie (Vicky), Kathy (Kathy), and David (David). He attended St Joseph’s School in his youth and then traveled to Los Angeles, California, to pursue his acting career.
  4. Thomas began his acting career at the age of 7 when he appeared in the movie “A Date With Judy” with actress Judy Holliday. He also appeared in a television show called “Family Affair” where he played a child named Anthony. He then moved on to a show called “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet,” where he played a child on the show as well. This was followed by his role as an assistant director for television commercials before landing roles in movies and television shows.
  5. Thomas appeared in about twenty-five episodes of the television series “The New Leave It To Beaver,” which ran from 1963-1966, playing one of the sons who would help clean up after other children’s messes; this was followed by appearances on episodes of “I Dream of Jeannie,” “Bewitched,” “The Virginian,” and many others. He also appeared in films like “Stoned” and “The Car.”
  6. Thomas is most famous for his role as the love interest of actress Natalie Wood in the movie “West Side Story,” released in 1961. The movie was a box office hit, which earned him a Golden Globe nomination and also attracted the attention of Hollywood executives. He received positive reviews for his performance, but it was not enough to land him a contract with any major studio.
  7. In 1963, he moved to New York City as an actor, where he performed in many plays and television shows like “The Defenders,” “Route 66”, and others. He continued to appear on television shows like “Mannix” and “Laverne & Shirley.” In 1965, he began working on Broadway productions such as “The Second Mrs. Tanqueray”, where he portrayed the husband of actress Carol Channing’s character who died in childbirth; this production ran through 1967. In 1967, he played the role of the lead character in a Broadway production called “The Marriage-Go-Round.”
  8. Thomas also continued to appear in films, such as “The Graduate,” “The Out-Of-Towners,” and others. He also appeared in a few television shows like “Ironside” and “Hawaii Five-O.” In 1968, he had a role in the movie, which was released in theaters.

A Brief History Of Thomas Markle’s Marriages

  1. Thomas Markle was married to Roslyn Baurdell, who would later become a makeup artist. They were married on May 24, 1966; they had one son together, Thomas Jr. They filed for divorce in 1985.
  2. He was married to Lisa Howard, who would later become a photographer and a producer. They were married on December 3, 1987; they had one daughter together named Meghan Markle. They filed for divorce in 1992.
  3. He was married to Doria Ragland from November 15, 1993, until their divorce was finalized on February 17, 1997. They had one son together named Thomas Markle Jr., who is also known as “Toby”. Doria Ragland also won the lottery with her ex-husband the day before her wedding to Thomas Markle and donated the $15 million jackpot to charity after the couple split up in 2003; she died in 2017 at age 59 of an asthma attack while staying at her son’s house in Mexico.
  4. Thomas Markle was married to Rachel Posner on November 23, 2003. They had one son together named Tyler Markle. They filed for divorce in 2014 after six years of marriage.
  5. He was married to Doria Ragland for a second time on December 22, 2016; they have one son together named Thomas Markle III and two daughters together named Samantha Markle and Rosie Markle.

What Was The Reason For Thomas Markle’s Third Marriage?

  1. The reason for Thomas Markle’s third marriage is that he was a divorced man with four ex-wives.
  2. Some of the reasons that they got married again after their divorce are because they were not allowed to see their children anymore.
  3. The main reason why Thomas Markle got married to Doria Ragland for a second time on December 22, 2016, was because he wanted to start over and have new dreams with his children and grandchildren; he wanted to be a better husband and father.

Meghan Markle’s Engagement Ring And Its History

  1. Meghan Markle revealed that she got engaged to Prince Harry on her own terms, as she did not want to wait for him to propose. This is because she was very busy with her acting career and had no time for Prince Harry’s proposal.
  2. Her engagement ring was a 10-carat diamond ring that was created by famous jeweler Neil Lane and cost $4 million, which made it the most expensive engagement ring in history. Her ring features two diamonds that are surrounded by smaller diamonds, with a total weight of 0.21 carats; these diamonds are from the same batch as the ones that were used in the Queen’s wedding ring when Prince Charles proposed to Princess Diana in 1981.
  3. The ring was designed by a famous jeweler, and it features a beautiful flower design on the band. The ring was made using a technique known as “fusion,” which is when two diamonds are cut from one piece of diamond. This means that the ring can have a smaller center stone surrounded by larger stones, and the center stone would be removed for cleaning or repair.
  4. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s engagement rings were created by Neil Lane and featured by the Crown Jewels in June 2017, after they were given to them on their wedding day in May 2018 at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, Berkshire, England.
  5. The rings were also featured in a 2018 advertisement for the Crown Jewels, which was released on the occasion of the Queen’s 80th birthday.

Summary

Meghan Markle’s father, Thomas Markle, is a former Hollywood lighting director and a co-owner of a solar energy business. He has largely kept out of the media spotlight during his daughter’s relationship with Prince Harry. However, there is a lot to discover about this former Hollywood lighting director and his fascinating life.

William Salazar
William Salazar is a finance blogger who loves to write about ways to save money and grow your wealth. He's a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, and has been working in the finance industry for over 10 years. When he's not writing or researching new investment opportunities, William enjoys spending time with his wife and two young children.