Thomas Markle, the father of Meghan Markle, is currently in a battle for survival at a hospital in the Philippines following a serious medical situation that occurred on December 2, 2025.
The 81-year-old’s rise to the public eye came after his daughter Meghan’s relationship with Prince Harry. However, he has had a contentious relationship with the royal family, especially after a well-publicized dispute with Meghan before her royal wedding in 2018.
Back then, it surfaced that Thomas had been working with photographers who paid for staged photos of him getting ready for the wedding. He was not supposed to be interacting with the press, which led to a huge fallout.
Resultantly, Thomas did not attend his daughter’s wedding. King Charles, at the time Prince Charles, walked Meghan down the aisle instead. Health problems, including two reported heart attacks, also contributed to his absence.
Now, Thomas Markle is in a critical state. His son, Thomas Markle Jr., mentioned that his father fell severely ill last week, necessitating urgent medical help. On December 3, Thomas Sr. had a significant operation and was placed in intensive care while doctors planned to remove a blood clot.
As per Thomas Jr., he took his father to a nearby hospital where scans revealed the severity of his condition, prompting an urgent transfer to a larger hospital for emergency surgery. Thomas Jr. expressed hopes that people worldwide would keep his father in their thoughts.
It was reported by People Magazine that Thomas Sr. and his son have been residing in the Philippines for several months. A dire symptom was his foot turning a dark color last Monday, leading doctors to decide on amputation.
Thomas Jr. further expressed his wish for Meghan to show some compassion towards her father during this critical time.
Following rumors and public interest, it was later confirmed that Meghan reached out to her father after his surgery.
A spokesperson for Meghan confirmed to PEOPLE, “I can confirm she has reached out to her father.”
Thomas Markle has been vocal about his regret over his deteriorated relationship with Meghan. Moving to the Philippines was a step for him to escape the media and reminders of their estrangement.
“Every day there were stories about Meghan and Harry,” Thomas had shared earlier this year. “I just wanted to live without daily reminders of our broken relationship.”
He added his greatest hope is to see his grandchildren before he passes away, expressing his dismay at not understanding why Meghan remains distant.
