Meghan Markle has reportedly been cautioned that a letter she sent to Thomas Markle may not remain private.

Reaching Out After a Medical Emergency

Last year, the Duchess of Sussex contacted her father following his emergency surgery after suffering circulation problems in his lower limbs, RadarOnline.com reports.

Thomas Markle was rushed to hospital on December 3 when his leg reportedly began turning blue and black. Doctors later amputated his left foot and lower leg.

Following the operation, the 81-year-old is now using a walking frame and is hoping to transition to crutches before being fitted with a prosthetic leg in the near future.

Efforts to Keep the Letter Private

Meghan, 44, is said to have learned about her father’s condition and handwritten a letter, which was delivered through the local U.S. consulate in the Philippines, where Thomas is currently recovering. The method was reportedly chosen to prevent the message from being leaked to the media.

Mail on Sunday also reported that a lawyer was present when Thomas received the letter at the hospital and that the exchange was allegedly filmed.

The contents of the letter remain unknown.

Legal Warning Over Control

Despite Meghan’s efforts to maintain privacy, a U.S. lawyer has warned that she may no longer have control over the correspondence now that it has been delivered.

Dean Strang, the attorney who appeared in Netflix’s Making a Murderer, said he was “amazed” that the Sussex camp decided to send the letter at all, given that its privacy now rests with the recipient.

“You know, you sent it to him, what he does with it…” Strang said on the I Rest My Case podcast, adding, “You can’t expect a control.”

He explained that under U.S. law, private correspondence becomes difficult to protect once it has been sent. After delivery, the sender effectively gives up control over what happens to the letter, shifting the balance of power to the recipient.

Meghan’s Statement on the Situation

The Duchess of Sussex, who has been estranged from her father since 2018, released a statement through a spokesperson in December addressing the situation. The statement noted that her attempts to contact Thomas Markle had been “exceedingly difficult,” but confirmed that a letter had been delivered following his surgery.

“Given that a Daily Mail reporter has remained at her father’s bedside throughout, broadcasting each interaction and breaching clear ethical boundaries, it has been exceedingly difficult for the duchess to contact her father privately, despite her efforts over the past several days.

“With the support of reliable and trusted contacts, her correspondence is now safely in his hands,” the statement said.

Daily Mail Responds to Allegations

The Daily Mail’s parent company, DMG, has denied claims of unethical reporting. The company stated that Thomas Markle is a friend of journalist Caroline Graham and that he personally requested her presence at the hospital.

“As well as being a journalist, Caroline has been friends with Mr Markle since 2018. She has been with Mr Markle in hospital every day, providing him with care and support.

“It is entirely untrue that each interaction has been broadcast, and the suggestion that Caroline has breached ethical boundaries is demonstrably false and vehemently denied,” DMG added.