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14th Dec 2019

Meghan Markle on the ‘rule breaking’ Christmas gift she got from her dad Thomas

Keeley Ryan

She wrote about the ‘rule-breaking’ gift in her blog, The Tig. 

Meghan Markle has shared the heartwarming Christmas present she received from her father when she was seven-years-old.

The Duchess of Sussex ran the site for three years, before closing it down shortly before her engagement to Prince Harry.

It was described as “a hub for the discerning palate — those with a hunger for food, travel, fashion and beauty”.

But she also shared an insight into her own life, including a special, festive moment with her father when she was a young girl.

“When I was about seven, I had been fawning over a boxed set of Barbie dolls,” she began the story, in a piece for Elle in 2015

 

“When I was about seven, I had been fawning over a boxed set of Barbie dolls. It was called The Heart Family and included a mom doll, a dad doll, and two children.

“This perfect nuclear family was only sold in sets of white dolls or black dolls. I don’t remember coveting one over the other, I just wanted one.

“On Christmas morning, swathed in glitter-flecked wrapping paper, there I found my Heart Family: a black mom doll, a white dad doll, and a child in each colour. My dad had taken the sets apart and customised my family.”

meghan markle

She recalled the moment again in a piece on The Tig, and how she pictured him standing in Toys R Us making the gift.

“I picture him standing there in Toys R Us, mums glaring at him for taking the toys apart, perhaps an employee saying ‘excuse me sir, you can’t do that’ — as my dad carefully separated the boxed sets to make one that echoed my reality,” she said.

While the royal family typically celebrates the holiday season at Sandringham with the Queen.

However, this year, Meghan, Prince Harry and Archie will be celebrating Christmas with the duchess’ mum Doria Ragland.