Meghan Markle’s Father Accused of Threatening To Kill Photographer

Meghan Markle's father allegedly threatened to kill a well-known paparazzi company owner, and now the man is asking a judge for protection against him.

According to legal documents, obtained by The Blast, Thomas Markle reportedly claimed in a new book that a paparazzi company owner "screwed" him in a deal over photos and video and says he will "kill" him. The owner, Jeff Rayner, filed a restraining order in Los Angeles County Courts -- asking a judge to keep Markle away from him.

In the filing, Rayner quotes a newly printed book, which claims Markle made the statements during an interview. "Thomas W. Markle is quoted on approximately page 220 of the book: 'I got screwed by Rayner,' said Markle, and I'm going to find a way to screw him over before I die. I want to tear him down. If they tell me I've got terminal cancer, then I'll kill him because I have nothing to lose," the owner writes.

Thomas Markle Allegedly Threatened To Kill Owner Of Popular Paparazzi Company

He continued, Markle "Threatened in writing to kill me since he is 78 years old I anticipate he will use a gun or other weapon."

Rayner claims the threats were recently published in "Revenge: Meghan, Harry and The War Between The Windsors" written by Tom Bower.

Now, Rayner says he lives in "anxiety and fear now of daily life" and believes Markle will act on his statements saying he "threatened in writing to kill me since he is 78 years old I anticipate he will use a gun or other weapon."

Adding, "Markle has made public threats against Jeff Rayner in various interviews previously threatening and harassing him. If he is diagnosed with any terminal illness, which can happen any day, he will kill Jeff Rayner because he has "nothing to lose."

Paparazzi Company Owner Is Asking A Judge To Keep Meghan Markle's Father 300 Feet Away From Him

In the filing, the papp company owner is asking for the judge to order Markle to stay 300 feet away from him.

It should be noted, that most deals of this kind include setups to shoot the subject (Markle) and a deal is normally put in place to split up the money paid by the media to buy them. Also, this could have included pictures of Meghan when she was a child or other items of that kind.

As we've reported, this isn't the first time these two have beefed over their paparazzi agreement. In a previously filed lawsuit, Markle claims the paparazzi agency approached him and offered him nearly $100,000 for setup shots. At the time, he says the deal consisted of a $1,500 cash payment and 30% of future earnings on the photos.

After executing the deal, Markle says the pictures looked "stupid and hammy" and now he deeply regrets doing it. Markle was famously photographed in hilarious choreographed situations, including lifting small weights, reading picture books about England, and news about his daughter inside internet cafes.

Shockingly, Markle claimed the issues with the papps caused him two heart attacks, as well as, "worldwide embarrassment and ridicule while losing my relationship with my daughter Meghan and son-in-law Prince Harry."

Rayner's company responded to the lawsuit, saying, "Mr. Markle’s hand-written court filing is so obviously frivolous that Mr. Markle, The Daily Beast, and anyone else who republishes the details of Mr. Markle’s court filing, will be liable to Coleman-Rayner for defamation."

The case is ongoing.