Meghan Markle is facing sharp backlash after her lifestyle brand, As Ever, promoted a Father’s Day newsletter featuring breakfast-in-bed suggestions—despite her long estrangement from her father, Thomas Markle Sr., who has said he wants to reconcile and meet h
Meghan Markle’s Father’s Day message landed online with a thud—especially for people who know her family history. In a newsletter sent through her brand. As Ever. the Duchess of Sussex promoted ways to “thank” the man in your life. complete with a breakfast-in-bed idea that read like a warm. private ritual.
“Whether you need a simple way to say ‘thank you’ to dad or simply want to create a comforting morning moment — breakfast in bed is the perfect treat,” As Ever wrote alongside a picture, as the holiday approached.
The company urged subscribers to gather “your favorite morning baked goods [we love a buttery. flaky croissant]” and serve them “with a dab of salted butter and a swipe of our strawberry spread.” It added a slice of “a favorite fresh fruit” and suggested pouring “a steaming cup of coffee or herbal lemon ginger tea.” The newsletter concluded with its own kind of hug in text: “Breakfast served bedside with a warm smile and a loving hug is a simple way to remind those we love how special they are.”.
For many social media users, the tone felt jarring.
“How’s this for irony? Anyone think Megsie will be knocking on her poor father’s door on Father’s Day to say her own thanks?” one user wrote on X.
Another said the promotion was disrespectful: “The woman who erased her own father from her life is suggesting how we can use her cheaply made products to honor our own fathers. This is a profound level of arrogant hypocrisy,” the second user penned.
A third piled on. calling out Meghan’s family choices and the consequences for Thomas Markle Sr.: “Boy. she really has some nerve. ‘Say Thanks to dad’ says the woman who cut her own father out of her life. denied him the chance to meet his son-in-law and never allowed him to know his grandchildren. ” they added.
The backlash is tied to Meghan’s strained relationship with Thomas Markle Sr. When she married Prince Harry in 2018, her father and Meghan reportedly stopped talking after Thomas Markle Sr. allegedly sold stories about her to the press.
While the two have remained estranged, the dispute has not stayed fixed in the past. The mother of two allegedly sent Thomas Markle Sr. a letter when he had a leg amputated in December 2025.
Speaking to Daily Mail. the 81-year-old said. “Of course I want to speak to her. but I am not sure if these are the right circumstances.” He added. “I’ve always said I am open to reconciling with my daughter. I have never stopped loving her. I don’t want to die estranged from Meghan. I want to meet my grandkids [Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet]. It might be nice to meet her husband, too.”.
Royal biographer Tom Bower. in turn. has suggested Meghan “discarded her family member when he needed her the most.” He discussed the situation on “The Daily Expresso” podcast. saying. “Her [Meghan’s] father. who is a good man and she’s treated appallingly. told me of this instance when she was 5 years old.”.
Bower continued. describing the moment as Meghan sought attention early: “He was a very successful lighting director in Hollywood and he took her down the red carpet on some opening night. ” he said. “And she said. ‘Daddy. I want to do this. I want to be the star.’ And that was it. she wanted to be the star.”.
Some public voices have also argued Meghan could do more—at least when it comes to her father’s care. Television host Mark Dolan told Daily Express that the 44-year-old has the resources to help care for Thomas Markle Sr., even if it’s inconvenient.
“He’s got health problems, he’s broke and he’s not been able to be at the hospital 24/7,” Dolan said.
Dolan framed the situation as both personal and reputational, adding, “This is a nightmare for Meghan, and it is a public relations disaster because she’s trying to rehabilitate herself in the world of Hollywood.”
For now, As Ever’s Father’s Day newsletter stands as a highly visible message—one critics say conflicts with a very public family rupture, and with the reconciliation Thomas Markle Sr. has said he still wants.
Meghan Markle As Ever Father’s Day Thomas Markle Sr. Prince Archie Princess Lilibet Suits Prince Harry backlash X Mark Dolan