Meghan Markle's father is reportedly no longer attending the royal wedding after a heart attack and paparazzi scandal
- Meghan Markle's father, Thomas Markle, will no longer attend the royal wedding, TMZ reported on Monday.
- News broke over the weekend that Markle had accepted money to pose for staged paparazzi photos in the weeks leading up to his daughter's wedding to Prince Harry.
- Thomas Markle also told TMZ that he had suffered from a heart attack less than a week ago but had checked himself out of the hospital with plans to attend the wedding.
Meghan Markle's father is reportedly no longer attending the royal wedding.
Thomas Markle is no longer planning to attend his daughter's wedding to Price Harry, TMZ reported on Monday.
The change in plans comes after a scandal in which Thomas Markle admitted to accepting money from paparazzi, who took pictures of him supposedly getting ready for the wedding. Photos of Markle intently studying "Images of Great Britain: A Pictorial Tour Through History" in a Starbucks quickly went viral - but were later discovered to have been staged.
In addition to the scandal, Markle told TMZ that he had suffered from a heart attack six days prior. However, he had checked himself out of the hospital to attend the wedding.
Markle told TMZ he has decided not to attend the wedding because he does not want to embarrass the royal family or his daughter.
Previously, Markle had been set to give his daughter away at the wedding.
"Both of the bride's parents will have important roles in the wedding," reads the official statement in early May. "Mr. Markle will walk his daughter down the aisle of St George's Chapel. Ms. Markle is delighted to have her parents by her side on this important and happy occasion."
Kensington Palace did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.
Meghan and Thomas Markle's relationship has had "ups and downs over the years," according to People magazine. However, Markle had reportedly been excited to give his daughter away at her wedding to Price Harry.
"From me talking to him, he's very excited to be a part of it," Tracey Dooley, Meghan's former sister-in-law, told Good Morning Britain in March.