Meghan Markle's father Thomas Markle opened up about missing his daughter's wedding. Source - iTV
Meghan Markle's father today gave an emotionally charged interview expressing his profound regret at not walking his beloved daughter down the aisle.
Thomas Markle Snr choked back tears as he reflected on the royal wedding and revealed how he had planned to attend the big day until he was forcedto pull out at the eleventh hour.
The 73-year-old told Good Morning Britain his daughter cried when she learned the news, but said he was 'honoured' that the Prince of Wales took on the job of walking Meghan down the aisle instead.
Mr Markle said he broke the news to Meghan about his absence in an emotional phone call just days before she was due to walk down the aisle in Windsor Castle's St George's Chapel.
He watched the wedding from California, where he was recovering from heart surgery.
On whether Meghan had wanted her father to walk her down the aisle from the offset, he said: "Absolutely, from the very start. I absolutely wanted to walk my daughter down the aisle. Absolutely."
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on their wedding day. Photo / Getty Images
He added: "I knew I could rise to that occasion. I'd be limping down the aisle, but I knew none the less that I could walk my daughter down the aisle. Of course. I definitely wanted that. That was in the plan. That would have to be."
And he told the show those plans remained in place two weeks before the wedding.
He said: "I was excited about that and ready for it. Me going to England, that was set, it was all set in place for me to go.
"Harry said I have got one of my military friends to take care of you when you are here. It was all set up. It was fine… Everything was booked."
But Mr Markle said the plans fell through just days before the wedding due to his heart condition.
"I had heart palpitations and I had to drive at 2 in the morning to a hospital, they sent me to another little hospital and then they sent me to a bigger hospital and I had a heart attack.
"I talked to Harry and Meghan, we were still set up to go, I was going to go the next day or the day after. I got a call from a guy called Sarge who was assigned by Harry I think. And at that stage I started getting heart palpitations and I said I have to cancel.
"I told her Meghan before I was going in for the surgery…This is what the doctors called the widow maker - it would have killed me."
On Prince Charles walking his daughter down the aisle, Mr Markle said he was "honoured".
"I can't think of a better replacement than someone like Prince Charles. He looked very handsome and my daughter looked beautiful with him. I was jealous I wish I'd been there I wish it had been me but thank god he was there and thank him for that.
"It might have been a treat for him as he never had a daughter."
From a bed and breakfast, he joined millions of people around the world as he turned on a television set and watched his daughter say her vows.
Mr Markle added: "Because we had the press all around the hospital a friend found me a little B&B place to hide and recover for a few days. So they got me this little place and in this little apartment I watched the wedding.
"She was beautiful, it was incredible watching her. I cried a little bit about it. She was so beautiful walking down that aisle.. and so was very proud I couldn't see a better moment in my life .. the whole world was watching my daughter I was very happy about that."
"The unfortunate thing for me now is I'm a footnote in one of the greatest moments in history rather than the Dad walking her down the aisle. That upsets me somewhat."
"It was a very emotional moment for me, like I said I cried about it. I wanted to walk my daughter down the aisle. I wanted that moment. But I'm thankful for everything the way it went."
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