Thomas Markle Heartbreak: Hospital Source Claims Meghan Markle Did Not Call Dad After Amputation

Lying in a hospital bed in the Philippines, an 80-year-old man is grappling with a life-changing amputation and a broken heart. Thomas Markle Sr. has just lost his left leg below the knee, but his primary anguish appears to be the continued silence from his daughter, the Duchess of Sussex. Despite claims from the Sussex camp that an olive branch was finally extended, the desperate father insists his phone has not rung once.

The situation has devolved into a grim dispute over communication methods while Thomas fights for recovery. He has publicly stated he is 'desperately ill' and has one overarching wish: he does not want to leave this world without making peace with the daughter he raised. Speaking from his hospital room, Thomas pleaded, 'I don't want to die estranged,' urging the Duchess to see him 'one more time before I die.'

Meghan Markle Sends Email to 'Dead' Account as Father Fights for Life

The confusion surrounding the contact attempt is deepening. On Friday, Dec. 5, a spokesperson for the duchess stated that she had 'reached out' to her father. However, Thomas told outlets he was 'confused' by this claim, stating he had received absolutely no messages. He emphasised that he has kept the same phone number for years specifically to ensure Meghan Markle could reach him instantly if she ever chose to.

It emerged late Saturday that the 'contact' mentioned by the Sussex team was allegedly an email sent to an address Thomas has not accessed in at least five years. Sources close to the retired lighting director are adamant that he 'never uses email at all'. This digital misfire stands in uncomfortable contrast to the physical reality of Thomas's condition.

To verify the claims, reports have confirmed with various hospital departments in Cebu — ranging from administration and reception to the intensive care unit — that no calls were received from the duchess or her representatives.

A source at the facility, according to RadarOnline.com, was categorical about the lack of contact, stating: 'Mr. Markle is a VIP patient. Of course we all know who he is. If Meghan or anyone connected with her had called here we would have known.'

Medical Crisis Casts Shadow Over Meghan Markle's Promotion of Family Unity

The medical stakes could not have been higher for the estranged father. According to one of his surgeons, the emergency amputation was a 'life-or-death surgery' necessitated by a massive blood clot in his thigh that halted circulation to his lower leg.

'We had to remove the foot,' the doctor explained, offering a sobering prognosis. 'Had the infection in the foot moved to his heart, it would most likely have been fatal. He is doing well, but he is not out of the woods yet.'

The timing of this tragedy is particularly bitter. Meghan Markle and her father have remained estranged throughout the promotional cycle for her upcoming Christmas special on Netflix, titled With Love, Meghan. The series focuses on themes of cooking and family unity — a concept that seems starkly absent from her own paternal relationship.

The rift dates back to the chaotic lead-up to the 2018 royal wedding. At the time, Thomas suffered two heart attacks and was unable to walk his daughter down the aisle, later describing King Charles's gesture of stepping in as 'incredibly kind.'

Yet, in the years since, the silence has been deafening. Thomas has expressed a longing to finally meet his grandchildren, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, as well as his son-in-law, Prince Harry.

Thomas had relocated to Cebu earlier this year to escape what he described as 'constant' stories about the Sussexes, hoping for a quieter life. Now, facing a long recovery in intensive care with the prospect of moving to a regular ward as early as tomorrow, he waits to see if a digital message sent to a defunct inbox is the only contact he will receive.

IBTimes has reached out to Meghan Markle's reps for comments.