Meghan Markle's half-brother Thomas blames royal family for shocking New Year's fight

Meghan Markle's half-brother Thomas Markle Jr. has spoken out about a drunken New Year's brawl with his fiancée was caused because of the royal engagement.

Thomas' fiancée Darlene Blount was arrested and charged with four-degree assault on New Years Day after an altercation with Thomas in Oregon.

Thomas, 51, told Mail on Sunday that Blount had hit him in the face, before insisting that his injuries were self-inflicted. He later bailed Blount out, paying her $1000 bond.

'It hasn’t been easy. Meghan’s relationship with Prince Harry has shone a spotlight on our family. It doesn’t help when you have issues and your sister is engaged to royalty,' he told the publication. 'It adds a whole new level of scrutiny.'

'We’ve been under a lot of stress because of all the attention. At some point you find yourself drinking too much to escape the pressure,' he continued.

The 36-year-old Suits alum and Thomas share the same father, Thomas Markle.

This is not the first time Thomas Jr. has landed himself in hot water. In January 2017, Markle was arrested for drunkenly brandishing a gun at his partner Darlene Blount.

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This article originally appeared on New Idea.