Thomas Markle Jr, the half-brother of Prince Harry's girlfriend Meghan Markle, has been arrested in Oregon after allegedly holding a gun to his girlfriend's head during a drunken argument, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.
The 50-year-old was taken into custody late on Thursday at his home in Grants Pass, Oregon, following a row with Darlene Blount, his girlfriend of two months. According to an official police log, Markle 'grabbed a gun and pressed it to Blount's head in an attempt to get her to leave'. Blount locked herself in the bathroom and called police.
Markle has been charged with menacing, pointing a firearm at another person, and unlawful use of a weapon. He was released on Friday after posting bail of $1,500 (about £1,200). Deputy Jill Elardi of Josephine County Sheriff's Office confirmed the arrest and charges, stating that Markle will appear in court.
The arrest is likely to cause embarrassment for Meghan Markle, star of US legal drama Suits, and raise questions about her suitability as a royal consort. Her relationship with Prince Harry, 32, has been described as 'serious', with Meghan having visited him in London and stayed at Kensington Palace.
Markle's ex-wife Tracy Dooley, who he called at 3am to help raise bail, said: 'I don't want this to be embarrassing for Meghan. ... The last thing he would want to do is to hurt her.' She added that her ex-husband has alcohol issues and hopes this incident helps him get the help he needs.
