The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, faces a personal crisis as her estranged father, Thomas Markle Snr, fights for his life in hospital. The 80-year-old was rushed to intensive care on 3 December 2025, where he underwent an amputation of his left leg due to a blood clot. From his critical condition, he issued a heartfelt plea, stating: “I am open to reconciling with my daughter. I have never stopped loving her. I don't want to die estranged from Meghan.” A spokesperson for the Duchess confirmed she has reached out to her father.
The Early Years: A Close-Knit Bond
Meghan Markle’s parents, Doria Ragland and Thomas Markle, separated when she was just two years old. Despite the divorce, Meghan maintained a good relationship with her father throughout her childhood. In an October 2017 interview, she reflected on their family dynamic, saying they remained close-knit, with her father visiting on Sundays, watching Jeopardy! together, and even taking joint family vacations.
Thomas, a lighting director and director of photography for the TV show Married...With Children, gave Meghan her first taste of Hollywood. She spent “every day after school for ten years” on the set, an experience that undoubtedly shaped her future career.
The Royal Rift: A Relationship Unravels
The first cracks in their relationship appeared when Meghan began dating Prince Harry. A significant point of contention emerged when Thomas revealed Harry had asked for his permission to propose, while Meghan later stated in their engagement interview that the two men had never met.
The situation deteriorated dramatically in the lead-up to the May 2018 royal wedding. In April 2018, staged photos of Thomas “preparing” for the wedding were published, showing him in a coffee shop reading a book about Britain and being fitted for a suit. Meghan’s half-sister, Samantha Markle, later claimed responsibility for the images. Thomas admitted he agreed to the photoshop, hoping to improve his public image, but later called them “stupid and hammy.”
Days before the ceremony, Thomas suffered a heart attack. He checked himself out of hospital to attend but ultimately decided not to go, fearing he would embarrass the Royal Family. Consequently, Meghan was walked down the aisle by her then-future father-in-law, King Charles III.
Public Feud and a Plea for Peace
The estrangement deepened in the months following the wedding. By June 2018, Thomas revealed he was no longer on speaking terms with the couple. The feud played out publicly through a series of media interviews. In February 2019, a private letter from Meghan to her father was published by the Mail on Sunday after he shared it.
Thomas continued giving interviews throughout 2019 and 2020, commenting on the birth of Meghan and Harry’s children, their decision to step back from royal duties—which he called the “dumbest thing they could have done”—and even threatening to sue Meghan and challenging Harry to a fight. The public exchanges largely ceased during the pandemic, and Thomas later relocated to the Philippines with his son.
Now, with his health in grave danger, Thomas Markle’s public plea for reconciliation has pierced the long-standing silence. As he battles for survival, the focus shifts to whether this family crisis can finally bridge the painful divide that has defined their relationship for nearly a decade.
