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Meghan Markle's estranged father, Thomas Markle, has undergone an emergency leg amputation after a sudden medical crisis in the Philippines, where he relocated earlier this year. The 81-year-old former Hollywood lighting director is now in intensive care and under close monitoring as doctors assess his recovery in the critical days following the surgery.
According to his son, Thomas Markle Jr., the situation escalated rapidly when Thomas's foot changed color. "My dad is being very brave. His foot turned blue then black. It happened very quickly," he told the Daily Mail. He said he rushed his father to a local hospital, where scans showed that a blood clot in his thigh had cut off circulation. Doctors warned there was "no option" other than amputation. As he put it, "It was a case of life or death."
Thomas was then transported to a larger hospital in Cebu, where surgeons performed a three-hour procedure to remove the leg below the knee. "One of his doctors said the next two or three days are critical," Thomas Jr. added, noting that the medical team was concerned about complications such as infection, sepsis or gangrene. Doctors quoted by the outlet said that while the wound is healing, Thomas's age makes the situation unpredictable and the next 24 to 72 hours remain crucial.
He is expected to undergo an additional surgery to remove a clot higher in his left thigh.
The health scare comes after several difficult years. Thomas suffered a stroke in 2022, and ahead of Meghan's 2018 wedding to Prince Harry, he experienced two heart attacks and later had heart surgery, which prevented him from attending the ceremony.
His relationship with Meghan fractured around the time of the wedding after he admitted to staging paparazzi photos and, according to Meghan, was not truthful when confronted. In her 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan said, "I've lost my father," explaining how the incident marked a painful turning point.
Thomas has since spoken publicly about hoping to reconnect with his daughter and meet his grandchildren. In a previous interview, he said his "only wish before I die is to meet my grandkids." Since moving to the Philippines, he told the Daily Mail he hoped distance would give him "a quieter life."
As he recovers from the major surgery, his family says he "has a long road ahead" and remains in a fragile condition.
