Thomas Markle Says He Is 'Embarrassed' by Estranged Daughter Meghan's Royal Exit

Meghan Markle‘s estranged father, Thomas Markle, is speaking out about is daughter and Prince Harry‘s decision to no longer be working members of the royal family.

In a new interview with Channel 5 in the U.K., Thomas, 75, claimed that the couple is “destroying” and “cheapening” the royal family.

“It’s kind of embarrassing to me,” he said. “When they got married they took on an obligation, and the obligation is to be part of the royals and to represent the royals and it would be foolish for them not to.

“This is like one of the greatest, long-living institutions ever,” he said. “They’re destroying it. They’re cheapening it . . . turning it into a Walmart with a crown on it.”

On Jan. 8, Meghan and Harry made the stunning announcement that they were stepping down as senior working members, revealing that they are working to become “financially independent.”

In a statement on Saturday, Queen Elizabeth announced that she and her family had “found a constructive and supportive way forward” after Harry and Meghan’s choice to exit the royal family.

Harry and Meghan will not receive Sovereign Grant funding and have agreed to uphold the values of the Queen.

The couple — who will no longer be using their royal titles — is free to seek employment. They have no commercial agreements signed or in the pipeline at the moment, a royal source told PEOPLE.

Meanwhile, Harry and Meghan remain in the midst of a lawsuit against British tabloid Mail on Sunday’s publisher, Associated Newspapers Ltd., for publishing extracts of a “private and confidential” letter Meghan wrote to Thomas.

The newspaper group recently filed legal papers as part of its defense case, and her father is heavily mentioned. The possibility exists that he could be called as a witness to testify against his daughter.

In the interview with Channel 5, Thomas said he didn’t think Meghan or Harry would be reaching out to him amid their new arrangement.

“I can’t see her reaching out to me, especially now, in light of what I’m saying now, she probably won’t. Or Harry for that matter,” he said. “But here again, I think both of them are turning into lost souls at this point. I don’t know what they’re looking for. I don’t think they know what they’re looking for.”