Who Is Thomas Markle's First Wife? Everything to Know About His Past Marriage to Roslyn Loveless
Thomas Markle was married to Roslyn Loveless from 1964 to 1975
Oct. 27 2026, Published 8:15 a.m. ET
Before Thomas Markle became known around the world as Meghan Markle's estranged father, he had already built a family and career of his own. His first wife was Roslyn Loveless, whom he married in 1964.
The couple had two children, Samantha Markle and Thomas Markle Jr., before divorcing in 1975. Thomas went on to marry Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland, in 1979.
Roslyn largely stayed out of the spotlight for decades. But she made headlines in 2019 after publicly criticizing her former husband.
Now, her name has resurfaced following reports that she was the author of a 2019 letter to London's Metropolitan Police containing allegations about Thomas.
How Thomas Markle and Roslyn Loveless Met
Thomas Markle was building his career in television lighting when he married Roslyn
Thomas met Roslyn in Chicago in 1963, when he was beginning his career in television. Roslyn was working as a clerk for the Illinois Railway Company, according to accounts of their relationship.
The pair married in 1964. Thomas was working in television lighting and eventually became an award-winning lighting director, later earning Daytime Emmy Awards for his work on General Hospital.
He also worked on Married... with Children and the 1984 Summer Olympics.
Roslyn and Thomas remained married for 11 years before their divorce in 1975. Thomas later moved to California and married Doria Ragland in 1979.
Their Two Children Together
Thomas Markle moved to California after his split from Roslyn
Thomas and Roslyn had two children during their marriage.
Their daughter, Yvonne Marie Markle, was born in 1964 and later became known publicly as Samantha Markle. Their son, Thomas Markle Jr., was born in 1966. Both are Meghan's older half-siblings.
The marriage reportedly became strained after the birth of Thomas Jr. Roslyn later claimed that she was left largely responsible for raising their children and struggled financially.
Those accounts come from Roslyn's later statements and were disputed by Thomas.
Why Their Marriage Ended in 1975
Thomas Markle did not tie the knot again until 1979
Roslyn discussed the breakdown of her marriage in a 2019 interview with the Daily Mirror.
She accused Thomas of having affairs, being absent because of work, and withholding money from the family.
She also described him as having a temper, while saying he had not been violent toward her. Thomas disputed her accusations.
Roslyn also spoke directly about Meghan's relationship with her father, warning that she believed Thomas should not be allowed to have a relationship with Meghan's son, Archie.
She described him as an "awful father" and questioned whether he could be a good grandfather.
Thomas and Roslyn divorced in 1975, four years before his marriage to Doria. Roslyn later returned to using her maiden name, Loveless.
What Roslyn Said About Thomas Later
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Thomas Markle was described as an awful father by Roslyn
Roslyn's name is back in the news because reports in October 2026 identified her as the author of a 2019 letter sent to the Metropolitan Police.
The letter reportedly contained allegations about Thomas, including accusations of child sexual offenses. The allegations have not been established as fact, and Thomas has denied them.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that it received a letter in January 2019 containing "a number of claims about alleged offending outside the United Kingdom."
The force said the letter was passed to Harry and Meghan's office but that its contents were not shared with other law enforcement agencies. The Met is reviewing how the matter was handled.
Meghan has since said she was deeply distressed by allegations concerning her father and maintained that her decision to keep him away from her children was about protecting them. Thomas has continued to deny the allegations.
