Thomas Markle Sr, the 81-year-old father of the Duchess of Sussex, is appealing to the public for financial help to cover substantial medical bills following a life-saving leg amputation. The former Hollywood lighting director, who has suffered a series of serious health crises, is being treated in the Philippines where his health insurance provides no cover.
A Desperate Financial Struggle for Medical Care
Mr Markle underwent a critical three-hour operation to amputate his left leg after falling ill at his home in Cebu. His son, Thomas Markle Jr, 59, who acts as his full-time carer, confirmed the family is being forced to pay for all treatment "out of their own pockets." He estimates the total cost will be close to £20,000.
"Thank God it didn’t happen in the United States without insurance," Thomas Jr stated. "It’d be hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars." He revealed the financial strain has been so severe he almost considered "selling a kidney" to raise funds.
GoFundMe Falls Short as Royal Connection Questioned
A GoFundMe page was established by a friend of Thomas Jr, Sally Preston, to help settle the mounting hospital fees. However, despite the Markle family's connection to the British Royal Family, the appeal had raised just over $4,500 (£3,362) at the time of reporting.
Thomas Jr expressed frustration that his half-sister, Meghan Markle, and her husband Prince Harry have not offered financial assistance. He directly countered online rumours that the Duchess had donated to the hospital, stating she has not given "a nickel" to help.
"The one person who has the means to actually help and make a difference...no, nope, nothing," he said, referencing Meghan's reported multi-million pound deals with Netflix and Spotify.
A History of Estrangement and AI Fakery
The medical emergency is the latest chapter in a strained family history. Thomas Markle Sr was due to walk Meghan down the aisle at her 2018 Windsor Castle wedding but withdrew after suffering two heart attacks. He has never met his son-in-law, Prince Harry, or his grandchildren, Archie and Lilibet.
Thomas Jr also condemned online trolls who used artificial intelligence to create a fake image of Prince Harry at his father's hospital bedside. "It’s all AI. It’s all horse crap," he said. "It made me puke. It’s just so disgusting."
The father and son, supported by Thomas Jr's 28-year-old Filipino girlfriend Rose, had recently moved to cheaper accommodation in Cebu just days before the health crisis struck. Thomas Jr described his father as "a trouper" and "a tough old b******" with a long road to recovery ahead.
