Meghan Markle’s estranged father Thomas has claimed he found out about the birth of his granddaughter Lilibet “on the radio”.
The Duchess of Sussex and her husband Prince Harry welcomed their second child, Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, on June 4.
In a new interview with 60 Minutes, Thomas revealed how he found out that his daughter had given birth, saying: “No phone calls. I just heard it on the radio.”
“I haven’t spoken to [Meghan] since two days before they got married,” he claimed.
Lili is named after her great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth, whose family nickname is Lilibet, and her middle name pays tribute to Prince Harry’s late mother Princess Diana.
Thomas said: “Lili is a perfect name and the other thing that makes me happy is now there’s a lot more Markle blood in the royal family.”
“I’ll be very disappointed that I don’t get to hold my granddaughter. On July 18, I’ll be 77 years old. Most of the Markle men don’t make it much past 80.”
“I might never see my grandchildren. I’m not looking for pity. I’m just saying that’s a reality… All I can say is I hope I get to eventually, sometime see these grandchildren of mine because I’m a pretty good grandpa.”
Lilibet’s birth was confirmed by a rep for the Sussexes on June 6.
They said in a statement: “It is with great joy that Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, welcome their daughter, Lilibet ‘Lili’ Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, to the world.”
“Lili was born on Friday, June 4 at 11:40 a.m. in the trusted care of the doctors and staff at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, CA. She weighed 7 lbs 11 oz. Both mother and child are healthy and well, and settling in at home.”
“Lili is named after her great-grandmother, Her Majesty The Queen, whose family nickname is Lilibet. Her middle name, Diana, was chosen to honor her beloved late grandmother, The Princess of Wales,” the statement added.
The couple also wrote on their Archewell website: “On June 4th, we were blessed with the arrival of our daughter, Lili. She is more than we could have ever imagined, and we remain grateful for the love and prayers we’ve felt from across the globe.”
“Thank you for your continued kindness and support during this very special time for our family,” they added.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex tied the knot at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018.
The couple welcomed their first child, a baby boy named Archie, on May 6, 2019.
Meghan and Harry stepped down as senior working members of the royal family last year and relocated to California, where they currently reside.
