Meghan Markle will "keep total distance" from her estranged half-brother, Thomas Markle Jnr, despite his recent public apology, according to a royal commentator.
Meghan, 45, who stepped out in Brussels with Prince Harry on Tuesday, has two older half-siblings from her father's first marriage: Thomas Jnr and Samantha Markle. The Duchess of Sussex is known not to have been close to either of them, with both choosing to stand by their father as she became estranged from them all.
Thomas Jnr's Apology and FBI Report
While Samantha has publicly appeared to continue supporting their father, Thomas Jnr made the decision to report him to the FBI after finding boxes of devices containing sex abuse material at his home in the Philippines. He has since openly spoken out about his disgust at his father, even choosing to apologise publicly to Meghan.
He claimed that he had protected "the wrong person for the past nine years," adding, "I'm so, so sorry, Meghan." In his public apology, Thomas Jnr also revealed that he understands why Meghan chose to keep her distance from their father and why she chose never to introduce him to Harry and their children.
Expert's View on Reconnection
Speaking on whether the public apology could prompt Meghan to reconnect with her estranged half-brother, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams has revealed that the former working royal will continue to keep her distance from him. He told the Daily Express: "The likelihood is that Meghan, during this extremely difficult period, will keep a total distance from her half-brother whose behaviour has been so erratic in the past. I can't see them being in touch despite his revelations to the Philippine police."
The 60-year-old also said: "I know we're not close, but I can still remember holding you when you were a baby and looking after you when you were small. So please accept my apology and know that I wish you and your family all the best for the future."
Father Rearrested After Bail Breach
Meanwhile, Thomas Markle Sr. has denied all the allegations. He has, however, been detained this week after he broke a bail condition. He was released on bail by a judge on Friday, with a few conditions, one of which was to remain under house arrest and wear a location-monitoring bracelet.
He allegedly cut off his ankle bracelet in the early hours of Wednesday. This resulted in Meghan's father being rearrested and detained, with the judge giving a very simple three-word explanation. The reason is that he "violated the conditions" of his pretrial release.
