MEGHAN Markle’s dad Thomas has urged her to repair her rumoured rift with the Duchess of Cambridge, saying: “This just isn’t like her.”

Thomas, who has had no contact with Meghan since she married Prince Harry last May, said he is heartbroken that he cannot step in to help.

Meghan has been accused of reducing Kate to tears at a bridesmaid dress fitting before the royal wedding. And there has been talk of a rift between Harry and his brother William and their wives.

Meghan has also been accused of bombarding staff with 5am emails and displaying a demanding attitude toward staff — earning her the nickname “Duchess Difficult”.

But former Hollywood lighting director Thomas, 74, said: “If there is any animosity between Meghan and Kate they should put their differences aside. I’m very upset by the criticism Meghan is getting.

“I don’t think she deserves it and I don’t think she is doing one third of the things she is being accused of doing.

“I’m not buying that she made Kate cry. First off, I think Kate is a stronger woman than that.

“I think Kate also knows she is in a stronger power position than Meghan is.

“Kate’s the hero mother. I can’t see her being that weak.

“No woman is who pops out a kid then walks out of hospital the same day.

“I don’t think she’s afraid of anyone. And I don’t believe that Meghan is trying to hurt her in any shape or form. But at the moment I cannot call Meghan and say ‘What is going on? How can I help you?’

“I need to know what the hell is happening and why it is happening. I need to know why she is being bashed every day.”

Thomas, speaking exclusively to The Sun from his home in Rosarito, Mexico, said the wall of silence from Meghan was piling misery on him and the rest of his family.

He said: “This whole thing should have been one of the proudest moments of my life.

“Now it’s like a dream that has turned into a nightmare. The royals and Meghan can help end this nightmare by simply giving me a call. To this day, I cannot think of anything I’ve done to deserve how I’m being treated now.

“I’ve been a good father I’ve done nothing wrong. Axe murderers kill 19 people and their daughters still come and visit them in prison.

“It’s just incomprehensible for Meghan to treat me this way.”

Thomas had hoped to join Meghan’s mum Doria Ragland at the wedding in Windsor last year but suffered a heart attack shortly before. And while recovering in hospital, he hung up on Harry, 34, during a heated row.

The Prince had urged Thomas not to speak to the press — but he was caught co-operating with a paparazzi photographer.

Harry told him: “This is what happens when you don’t listen to what we tell you to do.”

But Thomas said: “I’ll keep talking and I’ll probably get louder. Meghan and Harry’s silence empowers all the crazy tweets and insults against me and my family.”

Thomas admits he has made mistakes in the past, but said he is keen to make amends. He also hopes for an eventual first meeting with Harry. But today his message to him is: “Man up and get over it.

“If I’m the first person who’s insulted you or hurt your feelings, you’ve got a long way to go.

“He’s human just like the rest of us. I feel that he feels he is above everyone else and that he has a right to talk down to people.

“And I cannot accept that. It feels like arrogance.”

But despite the criticism of Meghan, 37, Thomas thinks she has settled into royal life.

And he urged her new family to let her be herself. He said: “I now see her doing things she is comfortable with. I see her reaching out to people and hugging kids — because that is who she is.

“If she’s able to continue doing that, it’s going to be fine — it takes away a little of the stuffiness.”

He also said he is proud of seeing pregnant Meghan cradling her bump — and said he would love to play a part in the child’s life.

But while Thomas remains proud of Meghan, he said he did not even get a Christmas card from her.

He added: “On Christmas Day I visited some friends and received a lot of phone calls from every relative I have — except my daughter. I was prepared for it.”

And he said he will carry on defending himself even if Meghan does get in contact with him. Thomas, also father to Tom Jr, 51, and daughter Samantha, 53, said: “I’ve been quiet long enough.

“If they ever want to speak to me, maybe I’ll quieten down a little bit. But in the meantime I’m not going to become a monk in a monastery and take a vow of silence.

“The bottom line is that I’ve done nothing to deserve this kind of treatment. I cannot cut my tongue out and never speak again. I can’t shut up because they have opened the door for a million people to criticise me and my family.”

He said he feels the need to defend himself against online trolls attacking and misquoting him.

He said: “One journalist claimed he had done a nine-hour interview with me. He came to pick me up for dinner with a female companion and was very unprofessional. I made him promise nothing could be used in a story.

“The next day a story appeared. I do not want Harry and Meghan to believe I did the interview. They are the ones that told me not to believe everything you read.

“In truth, there are a few journalists I have grown to trust and I use them to speak out from time to time.

“I only speak because of the deadly silence from Meghan and the royals. No one was standing up for my family — so I had to.”

Thomas ended his interview by saying he plans to write a book “about the good years with my daughter and my fond memories of her growing up”.

But the thing he wants most is reconciliation. He said: “I miss Meghan a lot. She was a big part of my life up until she met Harry.

“But I don’t want pity. I remember my beautiful daughter from the time she was born.

“If she called me right now I would simply say ‘How have you been? I am glad to hear from you’.”