Meghan Markle’s stepmother has opened up about the real reason the Duchess of Sussex has drifted away from her father, Thomas Markle, and the rest of her extended family.
Roslyn Markle, who was previously married to Meghan’s father, spoke candidly about the family’s strained dynamic and suggested that physical distance and busy schedules, rather than drama, may have caused the rift over time.
“When Meghan graduated from high school, she went to Northwestern, which is up in Illinois. And when she finished that, she worked in Argentina,” Roslyn told Daily Express in a 2017 interview. “Then she started Suits, and she started her acting career. It was the scenario that everyone got busy, and the distance was always a factor.”
Roslyn’s comments shed light on Meghan’s gradual disconnection from her father and half-siblings. Over the years, the Duchess has had minimal contact with her father, Thomas Markle, and her half-sister, Samantha Markle, both of whom have publicly criticized her since her marriage to Prince Harry.
Roslyn’s remarks, however, sparked fresh controversy after Samantha took to social media to slam her stepmother’s claims. Writing on X (formerly Twitter), Samantha insisted that Roslyn was not actually close to Meghan. “FYI I read online that Roslyn Markle was Meghan’s stepmom LOL my dad divorced Roslyn in ’74… she remarried… no relation to Meg ever and she knows nothing about our lives or Meghan!” Samantha wrote.
In a follow-up post, she doubled down, adding, “Roslyn only knows Meg from what she has studied about her in the media LOL.” Samantha’s public outburst highlights the continued tension within the Markle family, which has been a source of fascination and controversy since Meghan’s rise to global fame.
While Roslyn appeared to take a more sympathetic tone, framing Meghan’s distance as a product of life and circumstance, Samantha’s response suggested that long-standing resentment and miscommunication still run deep.
Despite the renewed attention on her family, Meghan has remained silent on the issue. Since stepping back from royal duties in 2020, the Duchess has largely focused on her philanthropic projects, media ventures, and family life with Prince Harry and their two children in California — far from the family drama that continues to swirl back home.
