Thomas Markle

Thomas Wayne Markle was born on July 18, 1944, in Newport, Pennsylvania. His parents were Doris May Rita (née Sanders, 1920–2011) and Gordon Arnold Markle (1918–1979). His maternal family was from New Hampshire, and his paternal family, originally spelled Merckel, has 18th-century ethnic German origins from Lampertsloch in Alsace, now part of France. Markle has two brothers, Michael (1939–2021) and Frederick (also known as Dismas F. Markle, born 1942). The family was raised in the Anglican Christian denomination.

His ancestry includes notable figures such as Mary Hussey Smith, a landowner from New Hampshire and descendant of Christopher Hussey. Markle's lineage also traces back to Sir Philip Wentworth and Mary Clifford, the daughter of John Clifford, 7th Baron Clifford, and Lady Elizabeth Percy, who was a descendant of King Edward III.

Thomas Markle pursued his education at the University of Chicago, where he met his first wife, Roslyn Loveless. They married in 1964 and divorced in 1975. They had two children: Yvonne Marie Markle, born in 1964 (later changed to Samantha), and Thomas Wayne Markle Jr., born in 1966.

In 1979, Markle married Doria Ragland at the Self-Realization Fellowship Temple of Paramahansa Yogananda in Hollywood, Los Angeles. They had one daughter, Meghan Markle, born on August 4, 1981, who later became the Duchess of Sussex. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1987. Markle and Ragland shared custody of Meghan, and Markle supported her through her education, including attending Northwestern University.

Professionally, Thomas Markle worked as a television lighting director and director of photography. His career includes work on various television programs, notably "Made in Chicago," for which he received a Chicago/Midwest Emmy Award in 1975. He was also a co-recipient of two Daytime Emmy Awards for his work on the soap opera "General Hospital," receiving recognition in 1982 and 2011. His work extended to overseeing lighting for the 1984 Summer Olympics. Markle was also involved in productions such as "Married... with Children," and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in 1986 for his work on the 58th Academy Awards.

In 1990, Markle won a California State Lottery jackpot, claiming $750,000. He has experienced financial difficulties, including filing for bankruptcy twice, most recently in 2016, with debts of approximately $30,000.

His personal life has included financial and health challenges. In May 2018, he underwent heart surgery shortly before his daughter Meghan's wedding to Prince Harry. In May 2022, he was hospitalized following a stroke. Markle's public profile increased due to media coverage surrounding his daughter’s marriage and subsequent controversies. These included staged paparazzi photographs in 2018, which he initially admitted to staging for health reasons, later expressing regret. He filed a lawsuit in 2021 against a photo agency for publishing images without his consent, which was dismissed in 2023.

Markle has appeared in various media interviews, often discussing his relationship with Meghan and her family. His disclosures, including praising his role in Meghan's success and criticizing her decisions, have been widely reported. In 2019, he made public a letter from Meghan, which he described as deeply personal. He has also made comments in media interviews criticizing Meghan and Harry, and expressed hopes for future reconciliation.

In recent years, Markle has resided in different locations, including Rosarito, Mexico, and Cebu, Philippines. He has engaged in online content creation, including posting videos on the YouTube channel "Remarkable Friendship," although he states he has since severed that relationship. In 2023, along with his son and daughter, he participated in an interview titled "The Markles" for 7NEWS Spotlight.