Meghan Markle’s half brother blames her engagement for brawl

Meghan Markle’s half-brother Thomas Markle Jr. has said the pressure of the royal engagement is partly to blame for his participation in a drunken fight on New Year’s Eve.

The 51-year-old, who has the same father as Meghan, fought with his fiancee Darlene Blount on the last day of 2017. The incident led to Blount spending two days in jail.

Markle Jr told the Mail on Sunday that Blount hit him in the face before insisting that his injuries were self-inflicted. Speaking of the altercation, he mentioned the pressure of his sister’s recent engagement: 

“Meghan’s relationship with Prince Harry has shone a spotlight on our family,” he told the Mail. “It doesn’t help when you have issues and your sister is engaged to Royalty. It adds a whole new level of scrutiny.

“We’ve been under a lot of stress because of all the attention. At some point you find yourself drinking too much to escape the pressure.”