Meghan Markle reveals the rule-breaking Christmas gift her dad Thomas got her as a little girl in throwback chat
MEGHAN Markle has revealed how dad Thomas bought her a really thoughtful present when she was made to feel upset over her biracial heritage. The Duchess of Sussex had come home from school confused over whether to tick that she was white, black, Hispanic or Asian on an exam paper. As Meghan had a white […]
MEGHAN Markle has revealed how dad Thomas bought her a really thoughtful present when she was made to feel upset over her biracial heritage.
The Duchess of Sussex had come home from school confused over whether to tick that she was white, black, Hispanic or Asian on an exam paper.
As Meghan had a white dad, Thomas, and a black mum, yoga-instructor Doria Ragland, she was unsure what to do, so she left it blank.
Later, she told her father, 75, who lives in Mexico, who was furious at the insensitive question.
Meghan said: “It made the green of his eyes pop and his brow was weighted at the thought of his daughter being prey to ignorance.
“And in one of those parenting moments that no guidebook could ever prep you for, my dad said words which will stay with me forever. ‘Draw your own box’.”
In order to help her feel comfortable and proud of her heritage, Thomas bought her a sweet gift for Christmas when she was seven.
The duchess, 38, wrote on her now-defunct blog The Tig: “I had been fawning over a boxed set of Barbie dolls.
“It was called The Heart Family and included a mum doll, a dad doll, and two children. This perfect nuclear family was only sold in sets of white dolls or black dolls.
“On Christmas morning, swathed in glitter-flecked wrapping paper, there I found my Heart Family: a black mum doll, a white dad doll, and a child of each colour.
“My dad had taken the sets apart and customised my family.
“One that showed me that I should (and could) make my own box.
“I picture him standing there in Toys R Us, mums glaring at him for taking the toys apart, perhaps an employee saying ‘excuse me sir, you can’t do that’ — as my dad carefully separated the boxed sets to make one that echoed my reality.”
This year will be Prince Harry and Meghan’s first Christmas as parents to baby Archie, and it has been reported they will not spend it at Sandringham with the Queen, as is often tradition for the royal family.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are looking forward to extended family time towards the end of this month.
“Having spent the last two Christmases at Sandringham, Their Royal Highnesses will spend the holiday this year, as a new family, with the Duchess’ mother Doria Ragland.
“This decision is in line with precedent set previously by other members of the Royal Family, and has the support of Her Majesty The Queen.
“For security reasons, we will not be providing further details on their schedule at this time.”
It is unsure if Thomas will join for any part of the celebrations, after their relationship is said to have become strained after he was caught staging paparazzi pictures in the run up to her wedding to Prince Harry in May.
He didn’t attend the royal wedding due to health reasons and has since claimed that Princess Diana would have “loathed” the way he has been treated by the palace.
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