How Meghan Markle Will Probably RSVP to Her Half-Brother's Wedding Invite

The nuance of dealing with Meghan Markle's family, who routinely speak to the press about her, nag her about her lack of response, and publish a tell-all book about her must be incredibly challenging. Now, Meghan's half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr., is inviting Meghan and Prince Harry to his wedding in March.

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(Image credit: Samir Hussein)

By Katherine J. Igoe

published 9 January 2019

in News

Poor Meghan Markle. Her difficulties with her family, members of which routinely speak to the press about her, nag her about her lack of response, and publish a tell-all book about her (eyeroll, Samantha Markle) must be incredibly challenging. Now, the pregnant duchess's half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr., believes that he knows just the thing to resolve all family drama and make things right in the estranged Markle household. That's right: he's inviting Meghan and Prince Harry to his wedding in March, as he exclusively told Daily Mail TV.

"Absolutely I think our wedding will bring the family closer together. It's hopeful that if Meghan and Harry came and my father...Meghan and Harry could spend some time together with him and that would be good," said Markle Jr.

He added, "Starting out the New Year by bringing our family closer together is definitely on the to-do list—it's very important. [The wedding] would be a perfect time for Meg to get together with my dad—who is her father as well—and just put all the past behind everybody and move on and be a closer family again."

Okay. So of course I am not inside the duchess and mom-to-be's head, so I cannot predict with exact clarity how she's going to respond. But I'm pretty sure it's a no, for a couple reasons. 1) Meghan's method of dealing with her family has been to "ride out" the drama, which is actually in contrast to how the Queen wants to handle it (release the hounds! I mean, deal with it more directly). 2) It's not totally clear when her baby will be born, but she's already given hints that it won't be too long now.

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So, either Markle Jr. expects a heavily pregnant lady to board a plane just to visit family members that haven't been very nice to her, or a new mom to bring herself and/or her child on a plane to Reno or Las Vegas (where the wedding will be held). I don't think so. So the invite is really just another half-spirited attempt to keep publicity on top of the "Meghan Markle has turned her back on her family" angle.

As a reminder, Meghan hasn't spoken to her father since before the wedding, and he claims she has "ghosted" him. It's hard to see that changing anytime soon.

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Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award.

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.

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