He wants the last word. Meghan Markle‘s estranged father, Thomas Markle, revealed that he plans to seek a court-appointed solution in his quest to meet his grandchildren, Meghan and husband Prince Harry‘s son, Archie, and newborn daughter Lilibet.

“I will be petitioning the California courts for the rights to see my grandchildren in the very near future,” the 77-year-old told Fox News from his home in Rosarito, Mexico, on Thursday, July 22. The patriarch also noted that he hoped Queen Elizabeth and other members of the royal family would not “punish” the 3-year-old boy and 1-month-old girl for their parents’ “bad behavior.”

“Archie and Lili are small children. They’re not politics. They’re not pawns. They’re not part of the game,” he told the outlet. “And they’re also royal and entitled to the same rights as any other royal.”

Thomas told 60 Minutes a week after Lilibet was born in June that he would be “very disappointed” if he doesn’t get to “hold” his granddaughter at some point. He added about Meghan, “I’d love to talk to her. I’ve made mistakes. I apologized a hundred times for it. I’m confused. If I had done something terribly wrong, that would be fine, but I haven’t. I just want an answer.”

During the tell-all interview Meghan, 39, and Harry, 36, did with CBS in March, the former Suits star revealed she could “never” reconcile with her father after he staged photos for the press ahead of the couple’s wedding in 2018, as well as leaking a personal letter from her.

“I look at Archie, I think about this child, and I genuinely can’t imagine doing anything to intentionally cause pain to my child,” Meghan explained during the interview. “I can’t imagine it, so it’s hard for me to reconcile that.” Following the incidents, the actress’ father decided not to attend the wedding, but underwent heart surgery days later.

thomas markle meghan harry didn't call lilibet birth
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As for Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, the California naive noted that the 64-year-old stayed out of the spotlight while she struggled with adjusting to the heavy scrutiny of being a royal. “You’ve never heard her say a word,” Meghan said on CBS. “She remained in silent dignity for four years watching me go through this.”

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