'Wedding bombshell', 'dysfunctional' family: How the British press is reporting on the royal wedding

It's been another turbulent 24 hours for the bride-to-be and her royal prince as Meghan Markle's family dominate the headlines in the British press.

Will he or won't he? Thomas Markle's attendance at his daughter's wedding has been the hot topic across most daily tabloid front pages and online media outlets on Wednesday.

Meghan Markle was to walk down the aisle with her father, at St George's Chapel, in Windsor Castle, where she will marry Prince Harry on Saturday.

It's looking less likely her father will be there, with news from the United States that the 73-year-old needs immediate heart-surgery.

The Sun has called the latest development a "Wedding Bombshell" and The Telegraph, "Wedding drama".

It has been a dramatic 24 hours as the award-winning former Hollywood lighting director did a complete 360 on the royal wedding.

Initially he had decided to pull out of the wedding for fear of further embarrassing his daughter and the royal family after it was revealed he staged shots with the paparazzi.

When his daughter pleaded with him to come, he backtracked and for a brief period it seemed all would go as planned – till the news of his impending heart surgery broke.

"Meghan's dad 'wants to come but heart op might stop him' the Daily Mail writes across the top of its front page, with a picture of a teenage Meghan Markle leaning against her father.

"Will he be there? Confusion reigns as Meghan's dad has heart op today," it writes inside.

British media reported Thomas Markle had told US-outlet TMZ that doctors needed to go in and clear a blockage in his heart, repair the damage and put a stent in.

He's expected to go into surgery in the next 24 hours and with just three days to go till Prince Harry and Meghan Markle tie the knot it seems unlikely he'll make it.

While her father may no longer be going, Meghan Markle's mother arrived in London on Wednesday.

The Mirror online reported; "Meghan Markle's mum given VIP treatment at LA airport as she flies to UK for royal wedding but dad stays behind in hospital."

It ran pictures of Doria Ragland leaving her Los Angeles home to board a flight to the United Kingdom ahead of the wedding, where she will most likely walk her daughter down the aisle.

Meghan Markle's father reportedly blames a letter his son, Thomas Markle Jnr, wrote, of contributing to his ill-health.

In the letter, his son tried to convince Prince Harry not to go through with the wedding claiming his half-sister would make a joke of the Prince and the Royal family.

Thomas Markle Jnr later apologised and unsuccessfully begged for an invite to the wedding.

He was not the only extended family member not to be invited.

But the lack of an official invite to the royal wedding didn't seem to stop some relatives, with various British outlets reporting on Meghan Markle's former sister-in-law and her children's arrival in London.

The Daily Mail published a full-page article with images of Tracy Dooley, who was once married to Meghan's half-brother, Thomas Markle Jnr, and her two sons Tyler, 25 and Thomas, 26, at Heathrow.

It reported the family have been enlisted as 'special correspondents' for ITV's Good Morning Britain, and are expected to report from Windsor.

Meanwhile in the Daily Express former palace press secretary Dickie Arbiter blames Meghan Markle's "dysfunctional" family for all the drama.

"Meghan Markle's father should have been brought on board much earlier [to help him prepare for the spotlight] but the main problem is that she comes from a dysfunctional family.

"This is not like dealing with Michel and Carole Middleton and their relatively high-profile family, who were well-versed in privacy issues and how to deal with the press.

"You weren't dealing with a dysfunctional family, so it wasn't an issue."