Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, doesn't have an "active relationship" with her father Thomas Markle any more.
The 38-year-old royal has been publicly blasted by her father on several occasions, and sources close to the former actress - who is married to Prince Harry - have now said she won't be letting Thomas back into her life, and doesn't want him to meet her three-month-old son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.
An insider told The Sun newspaper: "It's a terribly sad situation but Meghan has made the very difficult decision that she doesn't have an active relationship with her father any more.
"This was actually a decision she made some time ago and it is something she's now coming to terms with.
"It's obviously heart-breaking for her but she has to protect herself, her husband and her son.
"Thomas hasn't met Harry and it's unlikely he'll meet Archie either."
Meghan's decision comes after Thomas - who hasn't seen his daughter since before she married 34-year-old Harry in May 2018 - recently said he hoped that motherhood would have "mellowed" the former 'Suits' star and she'd have ended their estrangement so he could develop a relationship with his grandchild.
He said: "I would like them to send me a picture of Archie so I can frame it and put it on my wall beside the one of Meghan. Isn't that what any grandfather would want? I'd love to know if he's got the famous Markle nose ...
"Sometimes I get the feeling people think I don't love my daughter. I do love her very much. I would love nothing more than to put a picture of Archie in a frame and place it beside the one of Meghan ...
"There was never any problem between Meghan and me until recently. I've stayed quiet because Meghan was pregnant with Archie but I'm speaking out now because they and their PR people are continuing to ghost me out of her life.
"Of course I'm disappointed not to see Archie. I had hoped becoming a mother would mellow Meghan and she would reach out."
Thomas claims he hasn't given up hope when it comes to mending the rift between them, but at the same time slammed Meghan and her spouse for their stance on climate change after coming under fire for making numerous trips on private jets this summer.
The former lighting director - who missed the couple's wedding after having a heart attack - also accused his daughter of lying in a speech in Fiji last year, insisting that her claim she paid her own way through college wasn't true and branded her snub to him abusive.
He fumed: "I'm sorry but that is completely untrue. I paid every penny of her tuition and I have the bank statements to prove it...
"I'm sick of the lies. I'm sick of being vilified and shut out of their lives.
"I always upheld my responsibilities as a father. Meghan's comments about paying her way through college are offensive to me...
"No father deserves this kind of abuse when he's been that good to his daughter. Ask anyone who knows us both. I've been very kind and generous to my daughter."
