Thomas Markle has issued a desperate plea to his estranged daughter Meghan Markle, while denying reports that she attempted to contact him following his recent emergency surgery.
Speaking to the Mail on Sunday from his hospital bed in Cebu, Philippines, the 81-year-old begged his daughter to visit him in the intensive care unit, where he remains in a stable condition after having his left leg amputated below the knee due to a sudden and severe medical episode.
The retired Hollywood lighting director, who has been living in the Philippines, told the outlet he hopes to see Meghan “one more time before I die,” and expressed his desire to meet son-in-law Prince Harry and grandchildren Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4, “before it’s too late”.
Thomas said he has not changed his phone number since Meghan, 44, cut off contact shortly before her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry, hoping she might still “get in touch with me”.
He added that he feels “confused” by recent claims that Meghan reached out following his surgery.
“I’ve always said I am open to reconciling with my daughter,” he told the publication, saying he “would love to speak to her”.
“I have never stopped loving her. I don’t want to die estranged from Meghan. I want to meet my grandkids. It might be nice to meet her husband too.”
Meghan’s half-sister, Samantha Markle, 61, also dismissed reports the Duchess had contacted their father.
“Houston there’s been no contact… Time to stop the PR b******* Medusa,” she tweeted on Saturday.
In a separate post, she added, “Having paparazzi lurking and bushes doesn’t constitute reaching out LOL.”
The new interview follows a statement issued to news.com.au by a spokesman for the Duchess of Sussex, who said, “I can confirm she has reached out to her father.”
However, the Cebu hospital treating Thomas disputed those claims.
With his permission, a hospital representative told the Mail on Sunday that neither the administration office, reception, nor the ICU had received any communication from Meghan or her team.
“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. It is a big hospital by Filipino standards but we all know each other and we all talk,” a separate hospital source said.
“We were all confused when we saw the story that the duchess had reached out to her dad. As far as we are aware it didn’t happen. We would love to see the duchess here in the Philippines.”
Thomas is currently recovering in ICU with his son, Thomas Jr – Meghan’s 59-year-old older half-brother – by his side. Thomas Jr said a blood clot in their father’s thigh cut off circulation, leaving doctors no choice but to amputate.
“There was no option. I was told the leg had to be removed and it was a case of life or death,” he said in an earlier interview with the Daily Mail.
“My dad is being very brave. His foot turned blue and then black. It happened very quickly.
“I took him to a local hospital and they did some scans and an ultrasound and said the leg had to be amputated.”
Thomas Jr also urged Meghan to show their father “some compassion,” saying, “He is literally fighting for his life.”
Thomas Markle Sr has experienced significant health issues in recent years, including a stroke.
He lived in Mexico for a decade before relocating to the Philippines in January.
He suffered two heart attacks in the days leading up to Harry and Meghan’s 2018 wedding, leaving him unable to walk his daughter down the aisle.
His relationship with Meghan deteriorated further after he posed for paparazzi photos ahead of the ceremony despite being advised not to engage with the media.
The Duchess and her father have been estranged ever since.
Images: Instagram
