Thomas Markle, Meghan Markle’s father, has chastised the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, saying that their departure as senior royals has harmed the Queen, and has vowed to appear in court alongside his daughter as a witness in her case against a British publication.

If the matter proceeds to London’s High Court, Markle will testify against Meghan as a witness for the tabloid the Duchess of Sussex is suing after it published a letter she sent to her father.

Meghan’s attorneys are suing the publisher for claimed abuse of private information, copyright infringement, and Data Protection Act violations.

On Monday, Thomas, a retired lighting director, was a guest on ITV’s Good Morning Britain. “If it comes to meeting them in a courtroom, that’s great – at least I finally get to see them, but I don’t want to face off or have a battle with them,” he told the show.

It’s no secret that the Duchess of Sussex has had a strained relationship with her father. Thomas has continued to give interviews in which he expresses his dissatisfaction with their split. He’s also implied that his daughter owes him money, claiming that she’s given him “modest” monetary presents from her Suits earnings here and there, but that he spent years paying for her schooling.

Following their unexpected declaration that they intended to carve out “a progressive new role” that they plan to fund themselves, Harry, the British monarch’s grandson, and Meghan, the duchess of Sussex, agreed with the queen this month that they would no longer work as royals.

On Monday, Markle, 75, told the show that he does not feel Meghan’s bad press coverage is racist: “I don’t think that she is being bullied in any way or any shape because of racism,” he said.

The Sussexes’ decision to back off is believed to have been influenced by harsh news coverage of Meghan, much of which has been deemed racist. The Queen and Prince Harry have both openly recognized the Duchess’s heightened scrutiny, with Harry earlier criticizing sections of the media for their “racial undertones” in coverage of his wife.

Markle told ITV’s Good Morning Britain, “I think they’ve hurt the queen, I think they’ve hurt the royals, and it just doesn’t work.” “I’m a little embarrassed for them and feeling really sorry for the queen.”

“The break from the royals is going to cause far more problems.”

In the middle of the family turmoil, Meghan allegedly sent her father a handwritten note in which she voiced her worry about her father’s “exploitation” by tabloid tabloids and magazines, or accused him of “puppeteering” the entire affair for publicity, depending on your point of view.

“Man up and come down and see me,” Thomas said via the video, referring to Harry, whom he had never met.

In order to achieve financial independence, the Sussexes have chosen to resign from their roles as senior royals and relocate to Canada, return millions of pounds in public funds spent to renovate their U.K. home, and stop using their HRH titles. Thomas Markle’s remarks labeling his estranged daughter and son-in-law as “lost souls” have become a staple in the British tabloid news. Monday’s comments stoke an already tense relationship, as well as a legal fire that has been smoldering since the very personal letter was released.

Meghan sent the letter to her estranged father after he failed to attend her wedding to Harry in May of 2018. The duchess claims the newspaper intentionally deceived readers by omitting paragraphs, phrases, and specific words “to mask the lies they had perpetrated for over a year”

Mr Markle said in an interview with the Sun tabloid that if he faces Meghan in court, “everything will come out”

“I’ll see Meghan in court,” he said.

“I wish it hadn’t come to this, but I will certainly testify against the things that have been said about me.

“When me and Meghan end up in a courtroom together, it will be quite stunning for everybody.”

Due to health issues, Thomas was unable to attend the couple’s spectacular wedding in 2018 and has been separated from his daughter since then. He said he had never met Harry or his grandson, Archie, the couple’s infant son.