Meghan Markle's half brother Thomas Junior, 55, is attempting to gain control of their dad's business and legal dealings, according to reports.
Thomas Jr and Meghan's father, Thomas Senior, is currently recovering from a stroke. As a result, Thomas Junior has lodged an application for "a conservatorship" while his dad recovers.
If granted, the bid for conservatorship would allow Tom Jr to assume control of all business and legal affairs, including a court case in which the former Hollywood lighting engineer is suing British photographer Jeff Rayner.
The legal battle is over photos taken before Meghan's marriage to the Duke of Sussex. It is claimed the pictures had a detrimental effect on Thomas Snr's relationship with his daughter, Meghan.
A bid for conservatorship came to light in documents filed about the case against Rayner.
Thomas Jr told the court he was taking measures to obtain control of legal arrangements that would see him step in for his dad, who had fallen ill.
The bid for conservatorship mirrors a similar arrangement between popstar Britney Spears and her father, who assumed control over his daughter's affairs after concerns with the singer's health.
The relationship between Britney and her dad became global news as she battled to regain control over financial assets and life decisions that had been out of her hands for over a decade.
The plan for Thomas Snr made by his son is thought to be less intense.
According to The Sunday Mirror, a "well-placed" source told the publication: "Tom Snr has had a series of health scares and his son wants to do the best for him by taking any stress away.
"Cases in America grind on for months or years so it will be a weight off Tom Snr’s mind. It will help him focus on his recovery.”
The photographer, Rayner, had previously applied for a restraining order on Tom Snr who had been quoted in a book as saying that he would consider killing the photographer. The quote was denied after, with Thomas Snr claiming he had never said it.
In the book written by Tom Bower, titled Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the war between the Windsors, Bower quoted Thomas Snr to have said: "I got screwed Rayner… 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.”
Rayner and Thomas Snr are due to battle in court in November. The amount being sued is $1million, claiming the pictures caused Thomas Snr "worldwide embarrassment".
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