Royal Rift Deepens: Meghan Markle Has 'No Plans' to See Her Father as Thomas Fights for His Life After Leg Amputation
Thomas Markle, 81, underwent life-saving surgery in the Philippines.
Dec. 14 2025, Published 5:30 p.m. ET
Meghan Markle has "no plans to see her father" as he recovers in hospital after having his leg amputated, amid reports that she has given up hope of ever reconciling with him, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Thomas Markle, 81, underwent life-saving surgery in the Philippines after doctors discovered a massive blood clot in his leg. Despite the serious nature of his condition, he has spoken publicly of his desire not to "die estranged from Meghan", following years of tension between the pair.
Father Daughter Rift
Meghan Markle reportedly has 'no plans to see her father'.
The 44-year-old Duchess, who has not seen her father since marrying Prince Harry in 2018, reportedly attempted to contact him after failing to reach him by phone or email. She has reportedly "reached out" by sending a hand-delivered letter, according to reports.
However, according to some outlets, Meghan is believed to feel that her father's ongoing relationship with the media — which she is thought to have addressed in her letter — makes any reconciliation unlikely.
The rift between Meghan and her father dates back to the days before her royal wedding, when Thomas worked with a paparazzi photographer near his home in Mexico to stage photographs of himself being measured for a suit. Shortly afterward, he suffered two heart attacks and was forced to cancel plans to attend the ceremony.
Estranged Family
The Duchess of Sussex has not seen her father since marrying Prince Harry in 2018.
Thomas has reportedly never met his son-in-law, the Duke of Sussex, 41, or his grandchildren, Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four.
Before their estrangement, he had been close to Meghan and played a key role in supporting her early acting career in Los Angeles after he and her mother, Doria Ragland, divorced when she was six.
In a 2014 Father's Day post on her now-defunct lifestyle blog The Tig, Meghan praised him as "the person who believed in this grand dream of mine well before I could even see it as a possibility." She also recalled him "lighting my high school musicals so that they felt as grand as a Broadway show" and how he "put gas in my car when I went from audition, trying to make it as an actress."
"To my dad – my thoughtful, inspiring, hardworking Daddy – happy Father's Day," she wrote.
Reaching Out
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The father-daughter rift began ahead of the royal wedding.
Earlier this month, it was revealed that Thomas had been fighting for his life in the hospital after moving to the Philippines to be closer to his son, Thomas Jr. In an emotional interview, he said he had not heard from Meghan during his illness, "but would love to speak to her".
"I've always said I am open to reconciling with my daughter," he added. "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."
Thomas has since been moved out of intensive care and has begun physiotherapy as he faces months of rehabilitation and hopes to be fitted with a prosthetic limb once his wound heals.
