LONDON (AP) — Kensington Palace says Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are requesting "understanding and respect" for Markle's father after a celebrity news site reported he would not be coming to the royal wedding to walk his daughter down the aisle.

The palace's statement did not confirm the TMZ report on Monday that Thomas Markle had decided not to attend Saturday's wedding in Windsor, England. The palace said earlier that it would not comment on the report.

TMZ said Thomas Markle was upset over the way his decision to have staged paparazzi photos taken of him preparing for the wedding has been received. The site also said he recently suffered a heart attack.

The palace statement said: "This is a deeply personal moment for Ms. Markle in the days before her wedding. She and Prince Harry ask again for understanding and respect to be extended to Mr. Markle in this difficult situation."