Meghan Markle's estranged father Thomas Markle Sr. contradicted her claims that she grew up on the $4.99 salad bar and even blasted coward Prince Harry for abandoning the royal family.

The former Hollywood lighting director commented on the letter the Duchess of Sussex wrote to members of the U.S. congress in her bid for paid parental leave. In it, she talked about her humble roots before she became an actress and a royal and wrote, "I grew up on the $4.99 salad bar at Sizzler—it may have cost less back then (to be honest, I can't remember)—but what I do remember was the feeling: I knew how hard my parents worked to afford this because even at five bucks, eating out was something special, and I felt lucky."

Meghan Markle also talked about working odd jobs to make ends meat. But her father said that she "never, ever, ever had to worry about anything like that in her life." He told The Sun, "We'd do the best restaurants in town and we'd do Sizzler because it was convenient. We never had to rub our pennies together and just have the salad bar." He added that she would have the salad bar and a meal as well.

Thomas Sr. also criticised his daughter for writing letters to politicians using her Duchess of Sussex title. He deemed it wrong especially when she is no longer a working royal. He said, "She sends letters to senators and congressmen where she calls herself the Duchess. That's totally wrong. You really shouldn't do that."

The 77-year old also criticised Prince Harry and called him a "candy***" for leaving the royal family. He even challenged the Duke of Sussex and said, "I'd take him on at my age any time. He'd run away from me."

Thomas Sr. also shared his dismay that Meghan Markle won in her privacy case against The Mail on Sunday, because it means he cannot tell his side of the story and defend himself. He called it "ridiculous" that she does not have to go on a court trial. He said he is now considering going on YouTube to reveal the unpublished parts in his daughter's letter to him and claimed to still love her but hates "what she's become" because "she's changed so much."

Meghan Markle and her mother Doria Ragland
Meghan Markle and Doria Ragland. Getty Images/Steve Parsons