The Duchess of Sussex has attempted to contact her estranged father, Thomas Markle, who is reported to be seriously ill in hospital in the Philippines. A spokesman for Meghan confirmed, I can confirm she has reached out to her father. Mr. Markle is reported to have had his leg amputated during surgery, and while Meghan tried to contact him earlier today, it is unclear whether the attempt was successful.

The strained relationship between Meghan and her father began to deteriorate leading up to her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018. During the couple's engagement, media interest in Thomas Markle soared, especially after it was revealed that he had colluded with photographers who paid him for staged photos showing him preparing for the wedding. This led to a fallout where he withdrew from attending his daughter’s wedding due to health issues, resulting in King Charles III walking Meghan down the aisle instead.

Since then, it is not known if Meghan has established any form of communication with her father. Thomas Markle has not met Meghan's children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, and has expressed criticism towards Meghan and Harry's decision to step back from royal duties and their critical views of the royal family. He famously remarked, I think they're both turning into lost souls at this point and questioned what they were searching for in their new life.