Meghan Markle 'devastated' after Harry's heated row with her father

Meghan wants to "take a bit of time out" from her father Thomas Markle according to new reports.

The 74-year-old father to the Duchess of Sussex sensationally revealed how he had hung up on Prince Harry during a heated call ahead of the couple's wedding on May 19.

According to the Daily Mail, now sources claim that although Meghan, 37, does want to maintain a relationship with her father she feels they need time apart.

Speaking to The Sun a US source said: "Meghan loves Thomas and does want to maintain a relationship with him in the long run.

"But at the moment she feels he needs and bit of space. She also wants to take a bit of time out."

Adding that the newly minted Duchess wants to focus on settling into royal life she has reportedly admitted there is no "quick fix" for her relationship with her father.

MailOnline has contacted Kensington Palace for a comment.

The news comes as Thomas last night revealed how he dramatically hung up on Prince Harry during a heated telephone call – after the Mail on Sunday exposed him for staging paparazzi photos.

The Duchess of Sussex's father said he was "upset" by Harry's tirade, which came as he recovered in hospital from a heart attack.

And though he accepts Harry was "absolutely right" to admonish him, he described the timing of the phone call from the Prince as 'rude'.

Today, in his most explosive interview yet, Mr Markle also confesses that he lied to the Prince when Harry asked him if he had co-operated with a paparazzi photographer to pose for shots – one of which showed him apparently being fitted for a wedding suit. Mr Markle told his soon-to-be son-in-law that he was simply being "measured for a hoodie".

Mr Markle, 74, made global headlines in May when he pulled out of walking his daughter down the aisle days before her wedding at Windsor, blaming a heart attack.

His shock decision came the day after The Mail on Sunday revealed he had been colluding with a paparazzi photographer to pose for staged photos.

Today the Mail On Sunday can reveal details of the remarkable calls that took place between Mr Markle and Prince Harry following our exposé.

Though they have never met, Harry and Mr Markle had enjoyed a series of "warm and chatty" phone conversations after Meghan told him of her romance with the Royal. Among other things, they discussed what to do when news of the relationship became public – and Harry advised Mr Markle to avoid the paparazzi at all costs.

Mr Markle recalled: "Harry told me that I should never go to the press. That it would end in tears. He said, 'They will eat you alive.' He was right."

Instead of taking Harry's advice, Mr Markle made a secret arrangement to pose for a series of pictures – a decision he now bitterly regrets. The photos made £100,000 for the photographer and a smaller amount for Mr Markle.

READ MORE: 

• How Thomas Markle blindsided Prince Harry

On Friday, May 11, the MoS informed Kensington Palace of the revelations we were to publish two days later after we discovered CCTV footage of Mr Markle collaborating with the photographer.

Harry called Mr Markle to ask if he had co-operated for shots which showed him, among other things, supposedly being fitted for a wedding suit.

At this point, Mr Markle admits, he lied to the Prince.

After our story appeared, Harry and Meghan called Mr Markle again, though by then he was in hospital recovering from a heart attack. Mr Markle said the Prince told him: "If you had listened to me this would never have happened".

Mr Markle said he told Harry: "Maybe it would be better for you guys if I was dead… then you could pretend to be sad.

"Then I hung up."

In hindsight, he admits Harry was "absolutely right" to criticise him. Yet it was Meghan who dealt perhaps the most painful blow when she told her father he would not be allowed to make a speech at the wedding. "That hurt," he said.

Mr Markle added: "I'm not mad at Harry. I'm not mad at Meghan. I love them. I wish them well. But as for the rest of it, f*** it. I'm done."

Kensington Palace declined to comment last night.

This article was first published on dailymail.co.uk and is reproduced here with permission.