Royal Wedding latest: Palace staff now calling Meghan chaos 'Markle DEBACLE'
MEGHAN Markle and Prince Harry's wedding plans have fallen into chaos, with royal staff even referring to the situation as the "Markle debacle".
GMB: Samantha Markle discusses Thomas Markle's health
Frustrated palace courtiers are using the phrase as Ms Markle's family continue to speak out of turn, to the embarrassment of the Royal Family.
Scandal began when it emerged Meghan's father Thomas Markle had posed for paparazzi photographs which were then sold for as much as £100,000.
The 72-year-old said he was embarrassed by the "hammy" images, as he went back and forth between pulling out of the wedding and saying he wanted to go.
But today Meghan confirmed her father, who lives in Mexico, would not be flying to the UK to walk her down the aisle, dropping out for health reasons.
The bride-to-be's father – who has yet to meet Prince Harry – is recovering after successfully undergoing heart surgery yesterday.
The upheaval in carefully choreographed plans has left royal staff exasperated.
But one senior figure fumed: "We won't know until the day itself exactly what our instructions are and what we are meant to be doing.
"Normally we would have known a good week in advance, just as we did with Prince William's wedding.
Royal Wedding: The planning for Saturday's wedding has fallen into chaos
It's being kept secret until the day, it's all very unsettling
"It would all have been written down and printed out for us. But this time, so far, we've got nothing.
"It's being kept secret until the day. It's all very unsettling.
"Before Prince William got married, we got to know Kate quite well. But hardly anyone has met Meghan."
The plans for Saturday's ceremony have been shrouded in secrecy, despite 140 of the Queen's staff expected to be on duty at Windsor Castle on Saturday.
And friends of Prince Charles say he is concerned about "nasty parlour gossip" surrounding the wedding, according to the Mail.
Royal Wedding: Meghan Markle's father is not due to attend the wedding
In a statement released this morning, Ms Markle confirmed her father would be absent.
She said: "Sadly, my father will not be attending our wedding.
"I have always cared for my father and hope he will be given the space he needs to focus on his health."
Ms Markle's mother, Doria Ragland, has now been tipped as a stand-in to give her daughter away at Windsor Castle's St George's Chapel.
Royal Wedding: Prince Harry has not yet met his future father-in-law
Yesterday, Thomas Markle Jr, the half-brother of Ms Markle, visited Windsor to see where his sibling will marry Prince Harry.
He said: "My dad will be heartbroken that he cannot be with Meg in Windsor to walk her down the aisle. He would have moved heaven and earth to be there."
In further chaos, Ms Markle's half-sister Samantha was rushed to hospital after reportedly breaking her knee in a car crash in Florida.
Her partner, named as Mark, said their car hit a concrete barrier after attempting to avoid a photographer.