Meghan Markle is said to be facing an emotional and complicated situation as she attempts to contact her estranged father, Thomas Markle, after his recent life-saving surgery in the Philippines. The 81-year-old, who relocated to the country earlier this year, underwent an emergency procedure on Friday in which his leg was amputated from the knee down.
Doctors confirmed Monday that Thomas has been transferred from the ICU to a standard hospital ward as his condition has stabilized. During this period, reports claim Meghan has been trying to reach him but has not been able to make contact.
The renewed public attention comes after the Daily Mail published a direct plea from Thomas, who urged his daughter to reconnect. “See him one last time,” the headline read, accompanied by Thomas’ message: “I have never stopped loving her. I don’t want to die estranged from Meghan. I want to meet my grandkids. It might be nice to meet her husband, too.”
The response online was swift. Many criticized Meghan for not calling or visiting her father, with some commentators calling her silence cold. Royal editor Richard Eden described it as “jarring” that Meghan sent out her warm As Ever newsletter while her father was hospitalized.
However, others insisted the situation was far more complex. According to royal correspondent Cameron Walker, Meghan hasn’t had Thomas’ phone number “for some time” and discovered her email to him bounced back because the address was no longer active. Sources close to the Duchess said her team reached out to the Daily Mail directly to help establish contact. GB News reported that communication between father and daughter could happen within 24 hours.
As criticism mounted, many social media users came to Meghan’s defense. One user wrote on X:
“I don’t want to hear ‘Why doesn’t Meghan Markle talk to her father?’ ever again. The man is literally feeding information FROM HIS HOSPITAL BED to the newspaper that’s openly bullied her for YEARS. This is why. This has always been why. No decent father does this. Period.”
Another user posted:
“Watching Thomas Markle run back to the press again tells you everything. If you really want to fix a family issue you do not turn it into a headline. This is not love. It is clout chasing, and it is tired. Protect Meghan. Protect her peace.”
Still, critics argue that Meghan—who has successfully contacted senators, public figures, and Hollywood insiders when needed—should have been able to locate her father through official channels if she truly wanted to.
Meghan and Thomas have been estranged since 2018, when he sold staged photos and private information to the press ahead of her wedding to Prince Harry. The two have not spoken in years, and the tension has only deepened as Thomas continues to speak publicly about their relationship.
As Thomas recovers and Meghan reportedly attempts to reconnect, the situation has reopened a painful chapter—one that blends family, media pressures, and years of unresolved conflict. Whether this health scare leads to reconciliation remains uncertain.
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