Thomas Markle, the 81-year-old father of the Duchess of Sussex, has issued a heartfelt public plea to reconcile with his daughter and meet his grandchildren, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, before it is too late. The appeal comes in the wake of a major health crisis that saw him undergo a leg amputation in the Philippines.
A Father's Health Crisis and Public Appeal
This week, Thomas Markle's left leg was amputated at a hospital in Cebu, the Philippines. The retired Hollywood lighting director's foot had reportedly turned black and become so swollen he could no longer walk. Speaking to The Mail on Sunday from his hospital bed, Markle expressed his deep desire to end the estrangement that has defined his relationship with Meghan since 2018.
"I've always said I am open to reconciling with my daughter. I have never stopped loving her," he stated. "I don't want to die estranged from Meghan. I want to meet my grandkids. It might be nice to meet her husband too." He added that he has never changed his phone number, suggesting Meghan could always contact him.
The Duchess's Response and Conflicting Accounts
On Friday, a spokesperson for Meghan Markle indicated that an olive branch had been extended to her father following his operation. However, the situation is mired in conflicting reports. Thomas Markle and hospital officials told the newspaper they had not heard from the Duchess or her team.
A source close to Meghan provided a different narrative to Metro.co.uk. They claimed the Duchess's team was not contacted for comment before The Mail on Sunday's story was published. "Had they asked... we would simply have told them to ask Mr Markle to check his email," the source said. They revealed Meghan had, in fact, emailed her father—a detail kept private to avoid further public scrutiny.
The newspaper later reported that Meghan had contacted an email address Thomas Markle had not used for at least five years. Meanwhile, Meghan's half-sister, Samantha Markle, dismissed the claim of contact as "PR b******t" on social media platform X.
A Long History of Family Estrangement
The rift between Meghan Markle and her father's side of the family is long-standing and complex. It began in earnest in 2018 when Thomas Markle was exposed for collaborating with paparazzi to stage photographs ahead of her wedding to Prince Harry.
The fallout has included legal battles and public disputes. In previous years, Thomas Markle Jr. and Samantha Markle filed a defamation lawsuit against Meghan, which was ultimately dismissed by a judge. In 2021, Thomas Markle threatened to take Prince Harry and Meghan to court to gain access to his grandchildren, though no such case materialised.
This latest chapter, set against the backdrop of a serious medical emergency, underscores the ongoing personal drama that continues to unfold at a distance from the life Meghan has built with her husband and children in the United States.
