Meghan Markle’s Message Reaches Dad Thomas Markle After His Emergency Leg Surgery, Spokesman Says

Meghan Markle; Thomas Markle.
Credit:

Astrida Valigorsky/Getty; ITV/Shutterstock

Key Developments

• Meghan Markle successfully delivered a letter to her father, Thomas Markle, who is recovering from hospitalization.
• Thomas Markle, age 81, underwent an emergency lower leg amputation in the Philippines on December 3.
• This development follows reports that the Duchess of Sussex had been attempting to contact her father via phone and email without success.

Meghan Markle has confirmed the delivery of a letter to her estranged father, Thomas Markle, following complications arising after his emergency surgery. The confirmation comes amidst ongoing discussions about her attempts to establish contact with him.

A representative for the Duchess of Sussex stated on December 10 that the letter reached Thomas, facilitated by “the support of reliable and trusted” individuals during his recovery in the Philippines.

Meghan and Thomas have not been in contact since 2018, when he faced backlash for staging paparazzi photographs prior to her royal wedding. Thomas has recently been recuperating in a hospital after undergoing a lower leg amputation on December 3.

On December 9, concerns emerged about Meghan’s ability to communicate with her father. Following these reports, her spokesperson confirmed that the letter was successfully delivered. “With the support of reliable and trusted contacts, her correspondence is now safely in his hands,” the spokesperson stated.

Meghan Markle in October 2024.

Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty

On December 5, Meghan had previously emailed Thomas, although this outreach was initially private. Reports revealed that Thomas claimed he had not received any communication from her, which prompted those close to Meghan to clarify her efforts.

Sources indicate that Meghan’s team has been actively trying to clarify the best way to contact Thomas. Reports also state that he was without his phone, complicating communication. Additionally, the presence of a Daily Mail journalist at Thomas’s bedside has raised concerns about privacy and access to him.

A spokesperson for Meghan expressed frustration regarding the situation, noting it has been “exceedingly difficult” for her to contact her father privately due to the journalist’s presence and ongoing coverage of Thomas’s condition.

Caroline Graham, a journalist close to Thomas, mentioned that they share a personal connection. She revealed that he had informed her about his surgery prior to notifying his family and traveled to the Philippines to support him.

Thomas Markle in Los Angeles in March 2023.

LionsShareNews / BACKGRID

In a statement, a spokesperson for the Daily Mail confirmed Thomas’s connection with Graham, asserting that he contacted her when he fell ill and asked her to travel to the Philippines. The spokesperson added that Graham is willing to facilitate any communication between Thomas and Meghan.

Thomas’s recent surgery follows a series of medical issues, which include a stroke in 2022.

Meghan Markle.

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Since her marriage to Prince Harry in May 2018, Meghan has been estranged from her father. This estrangement intensified after Thomas admitted to collaborating with the press, leaving Meghan feeling that their relationship had been irrevocably damaged, a sentiment she expressed during her 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey.