This week, columnist and Kilcreggan resident Ruth Wishart writes an open letter to Meghan Markle's father prior to the wedding.

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Dear Mr Markle, welcome to the crazy world of the royal family, an institution which simultaneously needs the oxygen of media coverage to stay in business, and deeply resents the intrusive presence of those paid to provide it.

Particularly filed under the heading fear and loathing are those freewheeling, freelance photographers – the paparazzi – whose income depends on getting and selling the more intimate moments of interaction between their prey.

It was that group, and their tendency to operate as a mob, which contributed to the death of the woman who would have been your daughter’s mother-in-law. So, you will readily understand why they are not top of the pops with your future son-in-law.

And, I would guess, you are not to be counted among their fan base either after the events of the last few days.

The staged pictures of you preparing for the big day, according to your other daughter, was her idea of throwing some red meat to a single, selected snapper in order to protect you from the madding hordes.

I don’t imagine you contemplated that the said snapper would then whizz them round the globe in order to boost his bank balance. Welcome to the crazy world of the royal family.

It is reported that you are anxious not to embarrass your daughter as she becomes a central player in this media circus. You might even be daunted at the thought of Meghan’s man’s granny being your actual Queen of the realm. What with you being divorced from Meghan’s mum and all that.

Do not give it a thought, Thomas. She is marrying into a family which is no stranger to marriage break ups. Of the Queen’s four offspring only one is still married to their first spouse.

One married his mistress with whom he was having an affair whilst married to his late wife; one is on her second husband, and one, also divorced, enjoys the somewhat less than regal soubriquet, Randy Andy.

These are modern folks, Thomas, despite all flamboyant uniforms and assorted flummery.

And don’t for a moment think the royal family is doing your gorgeous daughter any kind of favour. In order to marry the man with whom she’s fallen in love, she’s had to kiss goodbye to a burgeoning career, and mortgage her personal privacy for the rest of her life.

She will be expected to turn herself out in all kinds of respectable gear instead of those fabby expertly torn jeans, and then have the labels scrutinised to make sure she is supporting the “right” designers.

Think Michelle Obama – another bright, ambitious woman who found herself stuck under a spotlight growing White House garden veg rather than exercising her skills as a successful lawyer.

Meghan is putting her old life on hold, Harry is trading in bachelorhood – never a great look in your mid thirties – for life with a glamorous actor.

Ask yourself, Thomas, who is the big winner here?

And consider this, whatever happens at the weekend, you can spend the rest of your days in California and have as near a normal life as that State offers.

Just steer clear of conmen with cameras.