Meghan Markle reaches out to dad Thomas after he was left combating for his life
Meghan Markle has reached out to her poorly dad for the first time since 2018 after he was left fighting for his life in hospital.
The Duchess of Sussex has tried to make contact with gravely ill Thomas Markle Snr after he had his leg amputated following surgery in the Philippines. It remains unclear if they have actually spoken.
A spokesperson for Meghan said: “I can confirm she has reached out to her father.”
Meghan has been estranged from her father since her 2018 wedding after he was caught staging paparazzi photos in the run up to the big day.
(Image: Netflix)
Their relationship has grown more strained since he gave several critical TV interviews about her relationship with Prince Harry. But it is believed she has tried to reach out to her dad in the past.
It comes as Thomas, 81, undergoes life-saving treatment after his left leg was amputated below the knee. Thomas, who moved to live in the Philippines, has never met his grandchildren Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet or his son-in-law Prince Harry.
Thomas Sr was rushed to hospital in the country on Tuesday after falling ill at home, with doctors later warning his condition was critical.
His son Thomas Jr told the Daily Mail: “There was no option. I was told the leg had to be removed and it was a case of life or death. My dad is being very brave. His foot turned blue and then black. It happened very quickly.
“I took him to a local hospital and they did some scans and an ultrasound and said the leg had to be amputated.”
He underwent around three hours of surgery on Wednesday and was said to be in the intensive care unit that night.
Thomas’s daughter Samantha, 61, said earlier this week that she believed the strain of the last few years had taken its toll on her father and added to his fragility.
She said: “He is a strong man, but he has been through so much. I am praying that his is strong enough to survive this. My father has been through two heart attacks, a stroke and an earthquake. I hope he can pull through this.”
King Charles ended up walking Meghan part-way down the aisle at St George’s Chapel in Windsor after Thomas suffered two heart attacks on the eve of his daughter’s wedding which stopped him from getting on a plane from his home in Los Angeles to London.
(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Thomas Sr. has been in poor health for a number of years. He suffered two heart attacks on the eve of his daughter’s wedding and King Charles walked Meghan part-way down the aisle at St George’s Chapel.
He suffered a massive stroke in 2022 which left him unable to speak. He regained some speech after months of therapy but has become increasingly frail in recent years.
He moved to the Philippines in January of this year partly with his son to “escape” from the constant reminders of his estrangement from his daughter.
Tom Jr said on Wednesday night: “My only wish is that Meghan shows my father some compassion. He is literally fighting for his life.”
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