Tatum O'Neal Once Had Some Harsh Words For Meghan Markle

Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, can't seem to catch a break. From the moment she stepped out on the arm of Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, and into the media glare, she's been criticized, scrutinized, slammed, and derided. Meghan has made some controversial decisions in her time -– many of which are only "controversial" in the eyes of those aboard the Meghan-bashing train. Like, wearing a hat to Wimbledon, which was just not cricket — or tennis in this case — and further added to her reputation for being a "royal rule breaker," per Glamour.

It seems that everybody has an opinion on Meghan, even Tatum O'Neal, somewhat bizarrely. Tragic details of Tatum's life were laid bare in "A Paper Life," the actor's 2004 memoir. "I've stood my ground in life, alone, even against overwhelming forces with the might and money to crush me," she wrote. "I have survived — and won." Given her fractured relationship with her father, Ryan O'Neal, and her difficulties dealing with her own time in the spotlight, you'd think she'd have a little empathy for Meghan, but nope. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Tatum shared her disdain for her fellow US-born actor, turned royal wife, with Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid during an appearance on "Good Day Britain." Of course, Morgan was pleased as punch to hear somebody ranting against Markle. So, what were Tatum O'Neal's harsh words for the duchess?

Tatum O'Neal took great umbrage at Meghan Markle's Wimbledon appearance. However, unlike others, she wasn't offended by Meghan's break in royal clothing protocol. Instead, O'Neal was outraged by Meghan's unwillingness to take selfies with the public, which also happens to be against "The Firm" protocol, according to Insider.

"It's so upsetting to me because if you think about Princess Diana, and you think of how absolutely inclusive she was, she would never turn anyone away," she said during a "Good Day Britain" appearance. "I had so much hope for Meghan. I wanted her to be the next Princess Diana." O'Neil might want to brush up on her history, given that Princess Diana died at 36 years old while attempting to flee those trying to take her photo. Piers Morgan immediately chimed in, claiming it was bizarre Meghan wanted to be left in peace while she was "sitting in a VIP box at Wimbledon." 

O'Neal agreed, calling Meghan's behavior "so tacky." The actor knows a thing or two about tacky tennis-related behavior. Per Sportsskeeda, she was married to the notoriously hot-headed "You can not be serious!" Grand Slam champ John McEnroe from 1986-1984. The couple has three kids, and their marriage — along with their subsequent divorce and custody battle — was as explosive as McEnroe's on-court outbursts.

Tatum O'Neal was also critical of Meghan Marke's purported lavish lifestyle, once again drawing a comparison to Princess Diana, who wasn't renowned for being a spendthrift. "Well, if you get, you know, the [engagement] ring reset and have it bigger, and then you do a $400,000 [home] renovation, and you do the private jet to New York for the [baby shower] you know, it's not Diana," she said on "Good Day Britain" (via US Weekly). "This is not Diana, this is something else."

As far as Princess Diana's son, Prince Harry, is concerned, the whole point was for Meghan not to be like his mom. He shared his concerns in "The Me you Can't See," mental health documentary he made with Oprah Winfrey. Harry called out the racism surrounding their relationship and admitted he was terrified things would end the same way they did for his mother.

"History was repeating itself. My mother was chased to her death while she was in a relationship with someone who wasn't white, and now look what's happened," he said (via The Observer). Meanwhile, O'Neal may want to take a long look in the mirror before slamming Meghan's lifestyle. "Maybe we were too spoiled. We had more than enough money, and fame, and we enjoyed the good things that money and fame brought us," John McEnroe wrote of his life with O'Neal in the book "You Can't Be Serious" (via Sportskeeda).