Thomas Markle has heaped praise on Meghan Markle’s first husband, Trevor Engelson.

Meghan Markle’s father has appeared to take a swipe at Prince Harry by suggesting his wife should never have left her first husband.

Thomas Markle told the Mail his daughter should have stayed with film producer Trevor Engelson to whom she was married for less than three years.

Mr Markle’s home is reported by the same publication to be filled with photos of Meghan along with pictures from the Duchess of Sussex’s first wedding.

Meghan divorced Mr Engelson before going on to meet Prince Harry via a mutual friend in July 2016.

Thomas, who has yet to meet his son-in-law, said: “I really liked Trevor. I don’t think he ever understood why she dumped him either.”

Meghan Markle’s dad, Thomas Markle, appears to have taken a swipe at Prince Harry (Image: Getty/ITV)

Thomas Markle has yet to meet Prince Harry and the Sussexes’ children (Image: Getty)

The Duchess’s dad told the publication he feels resigned to the fact he will likely never meet his grandchildren, Prince Archie, five, and Princess Lilibet, three.

He said while he didn’t approve of some of the things Meghan has done, he “will always love her”, adding: “My door is always open to her.

“I love her and that will never change. I love all my children.”

Mr Markle has pleaded with his daughter in the past to let him see Archie and Lilibet, telling Good Morning Britain last year that he felt “very upset” over it.

Thomas Markle said he loves all his children and grandchildren (Image: Instagram)

Meghan Markle and Trevor Engelson were married less than three years (Image: Getty)

He told hosts Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley: “This is a cruel thing to do to a grandparent … To deny the right to see their grandchild.”

Since suffering two heart attacks, Mr Markle has been estranged from Meghan and did not attend her wedding to Harry in May 2018.

He was unable to walk his daughter down the aisle at the ceremony with King Charles, the then Prince of Wales, doing the job instead.

Meghan has said in the past that she felt “betrayal” from her dad, who is a former Hollywood lighting director.