August M
News that Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, has finally managed to deliver a private letter to her father came as Thomas Markle continued his hospital treatment in the Philippines, where he has reportedly undergone a lower-leg amputation.
The long-estranged father told the DailyMail on Sunday that he fears dying without reconciling with his daughter or meeting her children
He also expressed a wish to meet Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, as well as the Duke of Sussex.
Difficult communication
A spokesperson for Meghan told the BBC that reaching Mr Markle had been “exceedingly difficult” in recent days.
Her team said she attempted to contact him in hospital but did not know his phone number, believing he was not in possession of his device.
They added that the duchess had emailed him, though Mr Markle reportedly told the Mail on Sunday he “never uses email”.
According to the spokesperson, her written message is now “safely in his hands”, thanks to “reliable and trusted contacts” who helped deliver it.
Family history and earlier tensions
Meghan’s relationship with her father fractured in the lead-up to her 2018 wedding, following a period of intense media interest.
In the weeks before the ceremony, Mr Markle acknowledged arranging paid photographs with the press — an episode that drew wide attention and added to existing tensions.
He later withdrew from attending the wedding because of health problems, and Meghan was accompanied down the aisle by the then–Prince of Wales, reports the BBC
Plea for reconciliation
In his latest comments to the dailyMail on Sunday, Mr Markle said he was still open to repairing the relationship. “I don’t want to die estranged from Meghan,” he said, adding that he hoped to meet his grandchildren and “maybe” his son-in-law.
Sources: BBC; Mail on Sunday; DMG Media
