Thomas Markle And Meghan Markle's Relationship Revisited: Looking Back At The 'Difficult' Past As Duchess' Father In ICU

Thomas Markle, the estranged father of the Duchess of Sussex, is in intensive care in the Philippines following emergency surgery, according to family statements and media reports. The 81-year-old was rushed to hospital earlier this week after becoming seriously unwell and underwent a three-hour operation.

The latest health emergency has revived public focus on the long-running and unresolved rift between Thomas Markle and his daughter Meghan, a relationship that has remained publicly fractured since before her 2018 marriage to Prince Harry.

As Markle's condition remains serious and relatives appeal for public support, attention has once again turned to the breakdown of the father-daughter relationship and the repeated but unsuccessful attempts to repair it.

Emergency Hospitalisation in the Philippines

Reports on 3 December said Thomas Markle fell gravely ill at his home in the Philippines and was taken to hospital for urgent treatment. He later underwent emergency surgery and was transferred to intensive care. Medical staff are understood to be monitoring him closely, with further procedures reportedly under consideration, TMZ reported.

His son, Thomas Markle Jr, described the situation as 'life-threatening' in comments to the Daily Mail and asked supporters to keep his father in their thoughts. Family members have said the illness developed rapidly, prompting an emergency response.

Markle relocated to the Philippines earlier this year in what was described as an effort to live privately and away from sustained media attention. He has experienced a series of health problems in recent years, including heart attacks and a stroke.

Fractured Relationship with Meghan

The rupture between Meghan and her father began shortly before her wedding to Prince Harry in May 2018. The relationship deteriorated after Thomas Markle admitted to cooperating with a photographer to stage images for the press in the days leading up to the ceremony.

He suffered heart attacks shortly before the wedding and was unable to attend. The pair have remained estranged since, with no confirmed public meetings or direct contact in the years that followed, according to The Independent.

Thomas Markle has never met his grandchildren, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. In multiple media interviews over the years, he has spoken of his distress over the separation and his desire to re-establish contact with his daughter.

Attempts at Reconciliation

In early 2025, Thomas Markle told broadcasters that he continued to hope for reconciliation, saying that he 'would always love' his daughter despite acknowledging deep disagreements about past events. He also said he accepted that restoring contact was unlikely.

Other members of the Markle family, including his daughter Samantha Markle, have made repeated public appeals for Meghan to reach out, particularly as Thomas Markle's health declined. No response from the Duchess has been made public.

Meghan has not commented publicly on her father's most recent hospitalisation. She has previously spoken about difficult family relationships in interviews and media projects but without addressing her father's condition directly.

Wider Public and Media Attention

The development has renewed debate about the impact of sustained media scrutiny on private family relationships, particularly when public figures are involved. Both Meghan and Thomas Markle have been subject to intense press coverage since her relationship with Prince Harry became public.

With Thomas Markle's condition still uncertain and no detailed prognosis released, the latest health crisis has once again pulled a deeply private family conflict into the public spotlight. As the family awaits further medical updates, the long-standing estrangement between father and daughter remains unresolved under the most difficult circumstances.