Meghan Markle’s dad is reportedly in intensive care after undergoing emergency surgery in the Philippines.
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Thomas Markle, 81, was hospitalized on Tuesday after falling seriously ill at home, according to The Daily Mail, citing his son.
Thomas, who has been estranged from his daughter since her 2018 marriage to Prince Harry, reportedly underwent around three hours of surgery earlier today and was tonight in the intensive care unit. He now faces a second procedure to remove a blood clot.
“I took dad to a hospital close to our home, and they did various scans, and the doctors said his life was in imminent danger,” Thomas Jr. told The Daily Mail.
“They raced us by ambulance, with the sirens going, to a much bigger hospital in the centre of the city,” the 59-year-old recalled to the outlet. “My dad has undergone emergency surgery. I would ask everyone around the world to keep him in their thoughts.”
Thomas’s daughter Samantha, 61, said the strain of the last few years had taken its toll on her father’s health, making him more fragile. “He is a strong man, but he has been through so much. I am praying that he is strong enough to survive this,” she told The Daily Mail.
“My father has been through two heart attacks, a stroke, and an earthquake. I hope he can pull through this,” she added.
Meghan Markle’s Dad Has Suffered Major Health Setbacks in Recent Years
Meanwhile, Meghan Markle’s dad has been in poor health for several years. He suffered two heart attacks just before her wedding, which prevented him from flying from his Los Angeles home to London for the ceremony.
King Charles walked Meghan partway down the aisle at St George’s Chapel in Windsor. Thomas Markle later told The Daily Mail, “It was the most gracious and kind thing to do. I shall be forever in his debt.”
Markle’s father, who has never met his son-in-law or his grandchildren, Archie, 6, and Lilibet, 4, suffered a severe stroke in 2022 that left him unable to speak. While months of therapy helped him regain some speech, his health has continued to decline in recent years.