Samantha Markle denies 'cashing in' on her royal connections

She's the controversial face of the royal family - and she isn't afraid to admit it. Samantha Markle, the half-sister of the Duchess of Sussex, has blasted her relative this morning for not speaking to her father since her wedding to Prince Harry in May of this year.

Speaking exclusively to Good Morning Britain, the 53 year old told Charlotte Hawkins and Kate Garraway that she thinks Meghan has caused "a rift" in the family and needs to speak to her father who is reportedly in poor health.

She claimed that her televised appeal was the correct approach to get the newest member of the royal family to speak out and open up lines of communication with her father. Adding that concerns over Thomas Markle's health were the root of her plea for Meghan to chat with him.

Samantha told Good Morning Britain: “Naturally, as you can imagine, he is 74 years old and we all know that life is short. So given the circumstances over the last several months since the wedding, I think he really just wants to embrace her, and have some closure on the distance, and the misperception and really let her know that he loves her. I feel that he deserves that in return."

She said that Meghan and Thomas had been texting but that conversation has since ended, leaving him feeling isolated and concerned for his daughter.

Samantha rubbished claims that she is cashing in on her royal connections saying that "money makes the world go round."

She went on to add: "No one in media would refuse a paycheck for talking about the royals and as a family we’re not subject to royal protocol, certainly here in America. If you want to call it cashing in, I think that’s a little bit ridiculous.”