Thomas Markle admits he still makes money from staged paparazzi photos

Meghan Markle’s dad has admitted he still makes money from the staged paparazzi photos he set up before the royal wedding.

The Duchess of Sussex was reportedly left ’embarrassed’ when her father secretly collaborated with a British photographer in a series of pictures designed to ‘change his image’ in 2018.

After the media exposed the retired television lighting director’s decision, he claimed it was a ‘mistake’ and apologised to the couple who had warned him the press would ‘eat you alive’.

However, in new Channel 5 documentary Thomas Markle: My Story, Mr Markle confessed he makes money from the images every time they are used, saying: ‘Absolutely, those pictures will sell forever’.

The images were sold for as much as $100,000 (£75,000) to publications around the world, with Thomas getting a 30% cut, according to Mirror Online.

He went onto add that he did not originally intend to make money and he was only attempting to repair his damaged image.

He said: ‘I had been going through this for months. Every paper seemed to want to make me look like a dumb, fat slob.

‘I bought a new toilet, it became news around the world and I was made a joke – this was my throne.

‘I got approached by a guy who spoke to me and said “I can change your image”.

‘He said the problem you have is all these photos of you are terrible, he said I can make you look respectable.

‘He said we’ll go out and take some photographs of you looking like you’re getting in shape for the wedding.

‘The idea was that these would all be candid shots, discreet, no one would know they were posed or anything. It would be just me doing my routine daily.’

Mr Markle added that he had lied to Meghan and Harry when the royal couple called him to ask for the truth about the photos, which showed him lifting weights and being measured for a suit.

He said: ‘I denied it. All Harry asked me was did I pose for measurement for a suit, and I said “no I wasn’t posing for a measurement for a suit, I was being measured for a new hoodie”. That’s what I told them.

‘And of course that was a lie. I lied to him. I’m not proud of that, but I did. I didn’t do it for money. I did this to change my image.’

The Channel 5 show will see Meghan’s dad make a plea to see his grandson Archie – despite accusing his daughter of ‘cheapening the royal family’ by ‘stepping down’ with Harry.

Meghan and Harry reunited yesterday, with photos showing the Duke of Sussex landing at Vancouver International Airport.

Thomas Markle: My Story will air on Wednesday, January 22, at 9pm on Channel 5.