Meghan Markle’s dad had the lower half of his left leg amputated after being rushed to a hospital in the Philippines on Wednesday.
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81-year-old Thomas Markle underwent a life-saving, three-hour surgery at a Cebu hospital after his leg turned blue, then black, his son Thomas Markle Jr. told The Daily Mail. A blood clot had cut off circulation to his foot.
“My dad is being very brave. His foot turned blue and then black. It happened very quickly. I took him to a local hospital. They did some scans and an ultrasound and said the leg had to be amputated,” Markle Jr. told the outlet.
Doctors reportedly stated that Markle Sr. could have died without the below-knee amputation, though the initial surgery might not have been sufficient.
“There was no option. I was told the leg had to be removed. It was a case of life or death,” Markle Jr. explained.
Meghan Markle’s Dad Remains Stable But May Require More Surgeries
Meanwhile, Markle is in stable condition in the intensive care unit. He is being observed for any potential infections and may require further surgeries.
“One of his doctors said the next two or three days are critical. His left leg has been removed below the knee. They were worried about infection setting in – sepsis or gangrene. The flesh was black and dying,” Markle Jr. said of his dad.
Thomas Jr., his father’s primary caretaker, saw the condition of his foot and rushed him to a local hospital in Cebu. After some tests, doctors decided to transfer him to a larger hospital in the area.
Markle moved from Rosarito, Mexico, to the Philippines in January, seeking a more “peaceful” environment to escape the “awful drama of recent years.”
Meghan Markle has been estranged from her dad since her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry, when his two heart attacks prevented him from traveling from Los Angeles to London to walk her down the aisle.
The elder Markle was his daughter’s sole parent from age 11 to 18. He has not met his royal son-in-law or his two grandchildren, Archie, 4, and Lilibet, 2.
Meanwhile, the Duchess of Sussex has not publicly addressed her father’s health issues.