Meghan Markle has taken a significant step toward reconciliation with her estranged father, Thomas Markle, following a harrowing medical emergency that resulted in the amputation of his lower left leg and foot. After years of silence, Meghan’s effort to reach out comes at a time when Thomas’s health—and the family’s history—hangs in the balance, according to reports from People, Marie Claire, Fox News, and GB News.
Thomas Markle, 81, underwent emergency surgery in Cebu, Philippines, on December 3, 2025, after a blood clot in his thigh cut off circulation to his lower leg. The situation was dire. As Thomas’s son, Meghan’s half-brother Thomas Markle Jr., told The Daily Mail, “There was no option. I was told the leg had to be removed and it was a case of life or death.” The operation lasted three hours, and Thomas Jr. described the urgency: “His foot turned blue and then black. It happened very quickly. I took him to a local hospital and they did some scans and an ultrasound and said the leg had to be amputated.” Doctors warned that the days following the operation would be critical, with the risk of infection—sepsis or gangrene—looming.
Thomas Markle’s health struggles have been ongoing. He reportedly suffered a stroke in 2022, and his move from Rosarito, Mexico, to the Philippines earlier in 2025 was a fresh start that quickly turned tumultuous. As he recovered in the intensive care unit, Thomas expressed a deep longing for reconciliation. Speaking from his hospital bed, he told The Daily Mail, “I’ve always said I am open to reconciling with my daughter. 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.”
Meghan Markle’s relationship with her father has been fraught since 2018. Their estrangement began in the run-up to her wedding to Prince Harry, after it was revealed that Thomas had staged paparazzi photos for money. The fallout was swift and severe. Thomas pulled out of the royal wedding, citing heart problems, and has not met Prince Harry or his grandchildren, Archie and Lilibet. In her 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan spoke candidly about her pain: “I said, 'I just need you to tell me and if you tell me the truth, we can help,' and he wasn’t able to do that. That, for me, has really resonated, especially now as a mother. … I genuinely can’t imagine doing anything to intentionally cause pain to my child. I can’t imagine it. So, it’s hard for me to reconcile that.”
Despite the years of silence, sources confirm that Meghan has now reached out to her father. A spokesperson for the Duchess of Sussex told People and Marie Claire, “I can confirm she has reached out to her father.” The specifics of the contact remain private, but GB News reports that Meghan sent an email to Thomas at 11:53 a.m. Pacific Time on December 5, 2025. There’s been some confusion over whether Thomas received the message, with claims that his email address has not been active for years. However, Meghan’s team insists there was no bounce-back or block, suggesting the email address is still in use. Meghan’s aides have even attempted to contact The Daily Mail to clarify the situation and request an updated email address or phone number, but have yet to receive a response.
The difficulty in establishing direct communication is emblematic of the broader rift within the Markle family. Thomas claims he has not changed his phone number since becoming estranged from Meghan, saying, “so she could always get in touch with me.” Yet, Meghan’s team says she no longer has the number, and efforts to obtain it through journalists have so far been unsuccessful. The Duchess reportedly does not know which hospital her father is in, complicating any attempts to reach him by other means.
Thomas’s son, Thomas Jr., has played a pivotal role as a conduit for information. He has been by his father’s side in the Philippines, providing updates to the press and reiterating the gravity of the medical crisis. “One of his doctors said the next two or three days are critical. His left leg has been removed below the knee. They were worried about infection setting in—sepsis or gangrene. The flesh was black and dying,” he explained to The Daily Mail. “It was either ‘we have to operate now and remove the leg or he may die.’ It was a life-threatening situation.”
Amid this turmoil, Prince Harry’s influence has reportedly been a factor in Meghan’s decision to reach out. According to sources cited by Rob Shuter’s ShuterScoop, Harry, who has experienced his own estrangement from his father, King Charles, has encouraged Meghan to make peace with her father. “Harry knows estrangement. He made peace with his dad; now he wants Meghan to have the same chance. He’s been saying, ‘Don’t wait, do it now,’” one source said. Another insider described Harry’s approach as “soft, compassionate, and very much a ‘lead by example’ moment,” adding, “He’s showing Meghan what reconciliation looks like. And he hopes she takes it.”
For Thomas Markle, the hope of reconciliation is bittersweet. He has repeatedly voiced his desire to mend fences with his daughter, meet his grandchildren, and perhaps even meet Prince Harry. Yet, the path to healing remains complicated by years of hurt, mistrust, and public scrutiny. As Meghan’s half-sister Samantha has admitted responsibility for arranging the staged paparazzi photos, the family’s divisions have only deepened.
Despite the obstacles, Meghan’s outreach—however complicated by logistical snags—marks a pivotal moment. It’s a gesture that suggests the possibility of healing, even if the wounds are deep and the future uncertain. For now, Thomas Markle remains in recovery, his health fragile but his hope for a family reunion undimmed. Meghan’s effort to reconnect, spurred by crisis and encouraged by her husband, may yet open the door to a new chapter for the Markle family—one defined not by estrangement, but by the tentative steps toward forgiveness.
As the dust settles, all eyes will be on whether this moment of crisis can be the catalyst for true reconciliation, or if the echoes of the past will continue to keep father and daughter apart.
