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Meghan Markle's father says he talked about Trump, Brexit with Prince Harry

The father of Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, says he talked politics with her husband Prince Harry over the phone before the couple married — and that Harry argued he should give U.S. President Donald Trump a chance.

Thomas Markle says in TV interview that Harry is open to 'experiment' of U.K. exiting European Union

The Associated Press ·
Thomas Markle, Meghan Markle's father, is seen in a still taken from video as he gives an interview to ITV's Good Morning Britain program, broadcast from London on Monday. (Good Morning Britain/ITV/Reuters)

The father of Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, says he talked politics with her husband Prince Harry over the phone before the couple married — and that Harry argued he should give U.S. President Donald Trump a chance.

Thomas Markle told broadcaster ITV on Monday that he had several phone conversations with Harry, including one in which the prince asked for permission to marry his daughter.

Markle said Trump was discussed at least once: "Our conversation was I was complaining about not liking Donald Trump, he said 'give Donald Trump a chance.' I sort of disagreed with that."

Markle said he also asked his future son-in-law about Britain's 2016 decision to leave the European Union and got the impression Harry is comfortable with Brexit.

"I think he was open to the experiment," Markle said on the program Good Morning Britain.

Harry's press office declined to comment on Markle's televised interview, which could raise eyebrows because senior royal figures are scrupulously careful not to comment publicly on domestic or international political affairs.

Markle, who had been scheduled to walk his daughter down the aisle, missed the royal wedding in May due to heart problems. He told ITV he was "doing much better" and that he regretted missing the big event.

Markle, 73, watched the wedding from California. He said he was "very proud" but that "the unfortunate thing for me now is I'm a footnote in one of the greatest moments in history rather than the dad walking her down the aisle."

Thomas Markle told an ITV program that he talked politics with Prince Harry, seen here a month before his marriage to American Meghan Markle, in the months leading up to the royal wedding. (Victoria Jones/AFP/Getty Images)

He said the the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will probably seek to have children soon.

"She's wanted children for a long time," he said.

Markle said he gave Harry permission to marry his daughter over the phone.

"Harry asked for her hand on the phone and I said: 'You are a gentleman, promise me you will never raise your hand against my daughter and of course I will grant you my permission.'"

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