Perhaps there really was a time, long ago, when if one wanted to be informed of the activities of the royal family, one consulted the court circular.

Now, of course, you go on US celebrity gossip website TMZ. And there in glaring headlines you find a story, not of family joy at a forthcoming wedding, but of pain and suffering – much of it heaped on Meghan Markle’s 73-year-old father Thomas.

You could, as one newspaper has, call it “a rollercoaster of speculation surrounding whether Mr Markle would attend Saturday’s royal wedding at Windsor Castle in Berkshire”.

But you might also wonder whether this is a soap opera of cruelty, one in which Wednesday’s cliffhanger features the vulnerable father of the bride saying he can’t go to the wedding because he’s in hospital having heart surgery.

Royal wedding countdown: The plan so far for Harry and Meghan

Nearly every story about the former award-winning TV lighting director Thomas Markle makes sure to include a reference to him living as a “recluse” in Mexico.

It might, therefore, have been reasonably assumed that this shy man never sought the limelight thrust upon him when his actress daughter fell in love with Prince Harry, now the sixth in line to the British throne.

That assumption, though, was thrown into doubt on Sunday.

In what was effectively the first episode of the drama, the Mail on Sunday reported that Mr Markle had in fact worked with British-born, Porsche driving paparazzo Jeff Rayner to set up a series of supposedly ‘candid’ photographs that were then sold for “up to £100,000”.

Mr Markle was accused, amongst other things, of staging a photo showing him reading a book about Britain, and of going to a party accessories shop with his own tape measure and getting the 17-year-old assistant to pretend to be a tailor measuring him for a wedding suit.

As Mr Markle himself later acknowledged – to TMZ – the whole thing made him look “stupid and hammy”. Some of those commenting online went further and called him “a sleaze”.

But read closely, even the Mail on Sunday story itself seemed to suggest the possibility that this was more complicated than just a chancer trying to make a quick buck out of his royal connections.

For one thing, there was an acknowledgement that it was not known whether Mr Markle was paid anything for his part in the stunted-up photos.

The newspaper also included what could be read as strong hints that Mr Markle was a shy man who was trying to give the paparazzi what they wanted in the hope they would finally go away.

Mr Markle was described as a man so reclusive that even his neighbours rarely saw him.

There was a reference to a statement from representatives of Prince Harry – a man whose mother died while being chased by photographers – about his future father-in-law’s anxiety at being “harassed” on a daily basis by paparazzi.

Then the Mail on Sunday quoted a friend as saying: “Don’t underestimate how stressful and, at times, distressing the attention on him has been. Remember, this is a man who has intentionally tried to live on his own away from anyone he knows.”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures Show all 55 1 /55 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures September 2017 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at the Invictus Games in Toronto, Canada. The Invictus Games is an international sport event for wounded, injured and sick (WIS) servicemen and women, both serving and veteran. It was created by the Duke of Sussex and aims to use the power of sport to inspire recovery, support rehabilitation and generate a wider understanding of all those who serve their country Invictus Games Foundation/Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures November 2017 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle pose for a photograph in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace following the announcement of their engagement AFP/Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures November 2017 Meghan Markle shows off her engagement ring AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures December 2017 Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry attend Christmas Day Church service at Church of St Mary Magdalene in King's Lynn Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures January 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan during a visit to Reprezent 107.3FM in Pop Brixton. The Reprezent training programme was established in Peckham in 2008, in response to the alarming rise in knife crime, to help young people develop and socialise through radio Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures January 2018 Meghan Markle greets well-wishers on arrival at Cardiff Castle for a day showcasing the rich culture and heritage of Wales AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures January 2018 The couple watching a dance performance by Jukebox Collective during their to Cardiff Castle AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures February 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle walk through the corridors of the Palace of Holyroodhouse on their way to a reception for young people in Edinburgh. The reception celebrated youth achievements, marking Scotlands Year of Young People 2018, an initiative that aims to inspire Scotland through its young people: celebrating their achievements, strengthening their voice on social issues and creating new opportunities for them to shine AFP Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures February 2018 Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William at the first annual Royal Foundation Forum in London. Under the theme 'Making a Difference Together', the event showcased the programmes run or initiated by The Royal Foundation Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures March 2018 Prince William, Kate, Meghan and Prince Harry attend a Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures March 2018 Meghan Markle greets well-wishers after a visit to one of Belfast's most historic buildings, The Crown Liquor Saloon, a former Victorian gin palace, now run by the National Trust. It was the Royal couple's first joint visit to Northern Ireland AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures April 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle meet participants as they attend the UK team trials for the Invictus Games Sydney 2018 at the University of Bath AFP via Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures May 2018 Meghan Markle and her mother, Doria Ragland arriving at Cliveden House Hotel the night before her wedding to Prince Harry Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures May 2018 Royal fans sing for the television in Windsor the day before the Royal wedding AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures May 2018 Meghan Markle walks down the aisle in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, during her wedding AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures May 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stand facing each other hand-in-hand before Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby during their wedding ceremony AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures May 2018 Prince Harry kisses the Duchess of Sussex, as they pass through the Cambridge Gate into the grounds of Windsor Castle at the end of their carriage procession AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures May 2018 The newly married royals leave Windsor Castle after their wedding to attend an evening reception at Frogmore House AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures June 2018 Queen Elizabeth II sitts and laughs with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex during a ceremony to open the new Mersey Gateway Bridge in the town of Widnes in Halton, Cheshire Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures June 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan return in a horse-drawn carriage after attending the Queen's Birthday Parade, 'Trooping the Colour' on Horseguards parade AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures July 2018 Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Queen Elizabeth II, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge watch the RAF flypast on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, as members of the Royal Family attend events to mark the centenary of the RAF Chris Jackson/Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures July 2018 Meghan and Prince Harry kiss after the Sentebale Polo event that was held at the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures August 2018 The Duke and Duchess of Sussex meet the cast and crew of "Hamilton" backstage after the gala performance in support of Sentebale at Victoria Palace Theatre Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures September 2018 Meghan meets 7-year-old Matilda Booth during the annual WellChild awards at Royal Lancaster Hotel in London Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures October 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan meet 98-year-old Daphne Dunne during a meet and greet at the Sydney Opera House during an official 16-day Autumn tour visiting cities in Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures October 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan meet a koala named Ruby and its koala joey named Meghan after the Duchess of Sussex during a visit to Taronga Zoo in Sydney AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures October 2018 Prince Harry looks on as his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, is hugged by student Luke Vincent of Buninyong Public School following the couple's arrival at Dubbo Regional Airport in Dubbo AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures October 2018 Harry and his wife Meghan watch aboriginal dances at Victoria Park in Dubbo AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures October 2018 The Duke and Duchess of Sussex meet with lifeguards at South Melbourne Beach. BeachPatrol is a network of volunteers who are passionate about keeping Melbourne's beaches and foreshores clear of litter to reduce the negative impact of litter on the marine environment and food chain, and provide a safe environment for the public to enjoy their local beach Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures October 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan join a circle during a "Fluro Friday" session run by OneWave, a local surfing community group who raise awareness for mental health and wellbeing, at Sydney's iconic Bondi Beach AFP Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures October 2018 The British royals kicked off their shoes and donned tropical garlands on Bondi Beach AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures October 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan visit an exhibition of Tongan handicrafts, mats and tapa cloths at the Fa'onelua Convention Centre in Nuku'alofa, Tonga Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures October 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan laying a wreath at the National War Memorial in Wellington, New Zealand Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures October 2018 Prince Harry and his wife Meghan visit Redwoods Tree Walk in Rotorua AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures November 2018 Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex at a service marking the centenary of WW1 armistice at Westminster Abbey Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures February 2019 The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, visit the Kasbah of the Udayas near the Moroccan capital Rabat AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures March 2019 Prince Harry and Meghan speak on stage during WE Day UK 2019 at The SSE Arena in London Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures March 2019 Meghan and Prince Harry react as they are presented with baby gifts by Canadian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Janice Charette, at Canada House, during an event to mark Commonwealth Day, in central London AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures May 2019 A congratulatory banner message circling the BT Tower reading "Congratulations Harry and Meghan It's a Baby Boy!" AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures May 2019 Footmen Stephen Kelly and Sarah Thompson set up an official notice on an easel at the gates of Buckingham Palace on May 6, announcing the birth of a son to Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures May 2019 Pround parents pose with their newborn son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor in St George's Hall at Windsor Castle. The Duchess of Sussex gave birth at 5:26 on 6 May Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures May 2019 Prince Harry and Meghan walk away after posing for photographs with their newborn son AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures June 2019 Prince Harry and Meghan join the New York Yankees in their clubhouse and receive gifts for Archie ahead of their match against the Boston Red Sox at the London Stadium. The historic two-game series marked the sport's first games ever played in Europe and The Invictus Games Foundation was selected as the official charity of Mitel and MLB London Series 2019 Invictus Games Foundation/Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures July 2019 Prince Harry and Meghan meet cast and crew, including US singer-songwriter Beyonce and her husband, US rapper Jay-Z as they attend the European premiere of the film The Lion King in London AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures September 2019 The Duke and Duchess of Sussex dance as they arrive for a visit to the "Justice desk", an NGO in the township of Nyanga in Cape Town, as they begin their tour of the region. Their first official family visit in the coastal city AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures September 2019 Prince Harry and Meghan pose with members of "Waves For Change" NGO at Monwabisi Beach outside of Cape Town. "Waves For Change" NGO fuses surfing with child-friendly mind and body therapy to provide mental health services to vulnerable young people living in challenging communities AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures September 2019 The royals arrive to visit the oldest mosque of Cape Town in Dorp Street in Bo Kaap district AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures September 2019 The Duchess of Sussex visits Auwal Mosque on Heritage Day with the Duke of Sussex during their royal tour of South Africa. Auwal Mosque is the first and oldest mosque in South Africa and for the Muslim community, this mosque symbolises the freedom of former slaves to worship Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures September 2019 Prince Harry and Meghan hold their baby son Archie as they meet with Archbishop Desmond Tutu and his wife Leah at the Tutu Legacy Foundation in Cape Town AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures September 2019 The British royal couple were on a 10-day tour of southern Africa -- their first official visit as a family since their son Archie was born AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures October 2019 Prince Harry and Meghan meet Graca Machel, widow of the late Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg, South Africa. The Duke last met with Mrs Machel during his visit to South Africa in 2015 Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures October 2019 Meghan and Prince Harry attend a roundtable discussion on gender equality with The Queens Commonwealth Trust (QCT) and One Young World at Windsor Castle Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures December 2019 Prince Harry holding his son Archie. The photo was used on Instagram to wish their followers a happy new year SussexRoyal/PA Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures January 2020 Duke and Duchess of Sussex depart Canada House in London after visiting to show thanks for the warm hospitality and support they received during their recent stay in Canada Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – in pictures January 2020 Front page headlines, from UK daily papers, reporting on the news that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, plan to step back as "senior" members of the Royal Family AFP via Getty

Further details were added in Monday’s episode, the one where Mr Markle dropped the bombshell that he wouldn’t be attending the wedding or walking his daughter down the aisle because he didn’t want to embarrass Meghan or the royal family.

Mr Markle told TMZ that he only received a relatively modest sum for the deal with the paparazzo and it was less about money and much more about his assertion that “over the last year he’s been ambushed by paparazzi who have photographed him in the most unflattering circumstances ... buying beer, looking disheveled and reclusive.

“He’s especially upset that they made him look like a lush. Thomas says he doesn’t even drink beer ... he was buying it for the guards at the place where he lives.

“He figured there was no harm in it [the deal with the paparazzo] and it would help recast his image.”

One commentator, Jane Merrick, the former political editor of The Independent on Sunday, has described this process as “attempting to tame the media”, and noted how it is often done in vain.

As well as explaining himself to TMZ, Mr Markle revealed that he was in physical, as well as emotional pain. He said he had suffered a heart attack six days earlier, but had checked himself out of the hospital because, before the Mail on Sunday reported, he had been hoping to go to the wedding.

The next episode was delivered later the same day.

Mr Markle told TMZ he was going back to hospital because he was suffering serious chest pains. And he knew who to blame.

“He says the pains have been triggered by emotional upset,” TMZ reported. “He specifically mentioned his oldest daughter, Samantha Grant, who has been shading Meghan in the weeks leading up to the wedding.

“Thomas tells us, ‘I’ve been popping Valium for the pain, especially when I hear about my oldest daughter.’”

Enter, then, Samantha Grant, mother-of-three, 53-year-old former actress and model rendered wheelchair-bound by multiple sclerosis, the half-sister of Meghan Markle.

Exactly how well Samantha knows Meghan is a matter of some debate. Samantha says she “helped raise” Meghan for 12 years when they were growing up in California; other reports have claimed that however close they were in childhood, Meghan has not seen Samantha or any of her half-siblings for more than a decade.

Meghan Markle's half-sister Samantha Grant (Channel 4)

Be that as it may, Samantha felt qualified enough to announce in April 2017 that she would be writing a memoir sensitively entitled: “The Diary of Princess Pushy’s Sister”.

Although it would, of course, be nothing like “some sort of slamming ‘tell-all’.”

Instead, Samantha promised, she would “go through and recount some of the beautiful nuances of our lives, our family home.”

These “beautiful nuances” were presumably nothing to with what happened in January when Samantha was quoted as responding to Meghan being photographed in a £56,000 designer dress by saying: “If you can spend $75,000 on a dress, you can spend $75,000 on your dad.”

Other apparent “shading” that may have upset Meghan and Samantha’s father came when the older half-sister realised she was not getting an invitation to the wedding.

Last month Samantha reportedly tweeted: “Smoke and mirrors cannot hide the elephant in the room.

“Out of respect and humanitarianism, the Markles should be invited if 2,000 complete strangers are.

“Our uncle, brother, me, best friend of 30 years, nephews. Our issue is not a matter of closeness. Family is family.”

Nor, if the gossip site TMZ can be believed, was Samantha the only one of Thomas Markle’s children to have upset him with comments about Meghan.

As slowly became clear over the course of Tuesday.

The morning episode had Mr Markle telling TMZ of a change of mind bought on by Meghan texting him to say she loved him and was concerned for his health.

This, Mr Markle said, persuaded him that he should go to the wedding after all: “Of course I’d walk her down the aisle. This is a historic moment. I’d like to be a part of history.”

But then came the Tuesday afternoon instalment: Mr Markle wouldn’t be going to the wedding, he would be having heart surgery at 3.30pm UK time on Wednesday.

TMZ reported that the doctors had discovered that the heart attack had done significant damage.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend the Invictus Games Reception (Getty)

And then the website added a killer line: “BTW, Thomas also says he believes the open letter his son, Thomas Jr, wrote to Prince Harry discouraging him from marrying Meghan is what triggered his heart attack.”

This was a reference to the letter written by Meghan’s half-brother Thomas Markle Jr, a 51-year-old glass fitter who last year hit the headlines for being arrested after an alleged drunken argument with his girlfriend.

In a letter sprinkled with spelling mistakes and published by celebrity gossip magazine In Touch on May 2, Thomas Markle Jr appeared to tell Prince Harry it was not too late to cancel the wedding.

Meghan, the half-brother seemingly told Harry, was a “jaded, shallow, conceited woman that will make a joke of you and the royal family heritage.”

Somewhat improbably, Markle Jr seems to have followed up with a second letter, published by In Touch on May 11, which quoted him as suggesting to Meghan: “It’s not too late to send me an invite.”

Slightly different in tone to the first message, this letter reminisced about “some great holidays together, even though we all didn’t share the same house”.

As this suggests, mixing with what seemed perilously close to being the personal tragedy of Mr Markle senior, there was a strong element of farce.

By Tuesday afternoon the sense of a circus had been completed by reports of bookmakers offering odds on who would walk Meghan down the aisle and by a cameo appearance from former tabloid editor Piers Morgan telling Samantha Grant she was a “media vulture”.

And then more of Meghan’s extended family turned up.

Tracy Dooley, the ex-wife of Thomas Markle Jr, arrived at Heathrow airport from Oregon accompanied by her sons Tyler, 25, and Thomas, 26.

Meghan hadn’t invited her. Ms Dooley, a florist who divorced Thomas Markle Jr in 2001, has previously admitted she has not seen the bride-to-be for 20 years.

But it was reported that the Dooleys had been recruited by ITV’s Good Morning Britain as “special correspondents” to report on the wedding from Windsor.

ITV has yet to respond to The Independent’s request for comment on whether this is true, but the newspapers have reported that the Dooleys are thought be staying at a £70-a-night hotel in Waterloo, while Tyler has posted images on social media with the comment: “Just touched down in London!!! Man what a journey so far.”

The Daily Mail informed its readers that Tyler works as a cannabis farmer in Oregon, where marijuana is legal, and is planning to bring out a new blend called “Markle’s Sparkle”.

Meghan Markle’s extended family have been attracting headlines for all the wrong reasons (Getty) (Getty Images)

The royals may have defects of their own, but one is tempted to ask whether, with a family like hers, Meghan needs enemies.

The sadness and farce alike are perhaps only intensified by the suspicion that despite all the column inches devoted to it – with this article as guilty as any other – this may be a soap opera served up for the amusement of a public that is only half-interested.

A YouGov poll published as Tuesday’s stories unfolded suggested that 66 per cent of the British public were “not interested” in the royal wedding.

Prince Harry’s precise thoughts as he prepares for what should be the unalloyed joy of his wedding can only be guessed at. His anger at the paparazzi who hounded his mother, however, is well known.

After Diana’s death, of course, there were solemn promises all round that nothing similar would ever be allowed to happen again.