Meghan Markle has released the final episode of her podcast "Confessions of a Female Founder", featuring an emotional conversation with SPANX founder Sara Blakely.
The discussion highlighted the crucial role Blakely's father played in shaping her business and mindset, creating a poignant contrast with Meghan's own situation, as the 43-year-old remains estranged from her father, Thomas Markle, 80.
The podcast episode touches on themes of parental influence and support during formative years, with Meghan expressing particular enthusiasm about Blakely's close relationship with her father.
Meghan's relationship with her father broke down around the time of her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry.
The Duchess of Sussex's fell out with her father in 2018
GB/Netflix
Thomas Markle was caught staging paparazzi photographs for payment ahead of the royal wedding.
Despite initially being set to walk Meghan down the aisle, Thomas suffered a heart attack and could not attend.
During her 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan confirmed their continued estrangement, saying she "grieves a lot" and has "lost my father".
The relationship remains fractured, with Thomas now living in the Philippines with Meghan's half-brother.
In stark contrast to Meghan's strained paternal relationship, Sara Blakely shared how her father served as SPANX's informal board for 16 years.
"SPANX never had a board. For 16 years, the board was my dad, so my dad would come into town four times a year, hang out with me and the leadership team, and go over the business," Blakely explained during the podcast.
Meghan's relationship with her father broke down around the time of her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry.
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This revelation clearly resonated with the Duchess, who responded with evident enthusiasm, saying "Wow, wow."
Meghan showed particular interest in how Blakely's father influenced her entrepreneurial mindset, asking about his unique parenting approach.
"I remember reading, or maybe you told me, that when you were younger your dad would ask around the dinner table 'What did you fail at this week? What did you fail at today?'" Meghan noted.
Blakely confirmed her father's strategic thinking was instrumental to her success: "I was very lucky to have a parent who was incredibly strategic in his thinking... He was always trying to get us to redefine failure growing up."
"Wow, that's huge," Meghan responded, acknowledging the value of having both pragmatic and creative parental influences.
In her former lifestyle blog "The Tig", Meghan paid tribute to her "thoughtful, inspiring, hardworking Daddy" and his important role in her upbringing.
She described how Thomas would bring his Hollywood expertise as a lighting director to her school productions, making them "as grand as a Broadway show".
Meghan also wrote fondly about their shared traditions: "Our club sandwich and fruit smoothie tradition post my tap and ballet classes, which by the way, he religiously took me to on Saturday mornings after working 75+ hours a week."
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Meghan showed particular interest in how Blakely's father influenced her entrepreneurial mindset, asking about his unique parenting approach.
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Despite their long estrangement, Thomas Markle has expressed a desire to reunite with his daughter and "bring the whole family together".
He has never met his grandchildren, Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, three.
Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland, 68, commented on the staged photographs incident, saying she was "absolutely stunned" and that "as a parent, that's not what you do. That's not parenting."
While Meghan navigates her complex paternal relationship, her husband Prince Harry is experiencing similar family estrangement.
The Duke of Sussex confirmed to the BBC in May 2025 that his relationship with King Charles had broken down and that he was currently not on speaking terms with his father.
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