Meghan Markle's Half-Sister Cries Their Father Thomas, 81, is 'Trapped' In High-Rise After Deadly Philippines Earthquake — 'He Can't Walk Down 19 Flights of Stairs!'
Samantha Markle is worried after Meghan's estranged dad, Thomas, became trapped in a building.
Oct. 1 2025, Published 3:30 p.m. ET
Meghan Markle's estranged father is "trapped" on the 19th floor of an apartment building in the Philippines, RadarOnline.com can report, after a powerful earthquake devastated the area.
The 6.9 magnitude quake has killed at least 69 people, while as many as 200 others are injured.
Thomas moved to the Philippines to find 'peace'
Thomas Markle moved to Southeast Asia earlier this year, as his family feud with the Duchess of Sussex continues. On Wednesday, October 1, Meghan's half-sister Samantha tweeted that her 81-year-old dad was unable to escape the high-rise building.
"My father is stuck on the 19th floor of a building in the Philippines after a massive earthquake, and he can’t walk and he is trapped," she said.
"As of today, he is OK, and making plans to get out of that building. They seem to be safe for now, and hopefully, there will be no serious aftershocks. Provisions are being made so that he won’t be trapped in a similar situation again. God bless and stay safe, everyone!"
Thomas tried to ease concerns with a message of his own, saying: "Please don’t worry about me, everything is okay."
Samantha's Family Feud
The 81-year-old knows he may never speak with his daughter again.
Samantha then lashed out at her brother, Thomas Jr., for seeming to joke about the situation.
"I'm gonna throw my brother under the bus because he's on YouTube making fun of me because I was concerned about them getting out of the building," she tweeted, adding that he insinuated their elderly father wasn't trapped at all.
She continued: "I have text messages from a credible family friend who was with them who sent me messages saying they were trapped because my father can't walk down 19 flights of stairs."
Samantha included screenshots of text messages from an unknown person relaying: "We can't get out of the building. He can't walk down 19 floors."
Thomas' Health Woes
Samantha tweeted a screenshot of a text she received emphasizing her father's situation.
Thomas first revealed his plans to leave his cliffside house in Mexico in January.
Meghan's estranged dad has suffered two heart attacks and a stroke in recent years and seemed to shade his daughter when he said his decision to seek a new life abroad was because he was seeking "peace."
During an earlier interview, Thomas announced, "I am ready for a change. I have felt stuck in a rut for some time, and I am ready to meet new people and experience kindness."
Meghan Vs. Her Dad
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Meghan has had a beef with her dad since she married Prince Harry.
The father-of-three also confessed he had resigned himself to the fact he will most likely never meet his grandchildren, Archie, 6, or Lilibet, 4.
He clarified: "I'm not running away. I am going in search of a more positive life. Every day, I see something about Meghan. This week it has been (her) TV show. I wish her no ill will. My dream is that one day I could bring my whole family together, like a 'normal' family."
The rift between Meghan and Thomas first erupted in the run-up to her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry, now 40.
Thomas staged paparazzi photographs of himself being fitted for a suit and browsing pictures of the royal couple, later admitting the move was designed to improve his public image.
Days before the ceremony, he pulled out, citing health problems, sparking chaos for the bride and further damaging relations between father and daughter.
