The Duchess of Sussex, 44, is said to “need two things” before considering a meeting with her 81-year-old father, from whom she has been estranged since her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry.
A Long-Running Family Estrangement
Meghan and her father’s relationship deteriorated shortly before her wedding after Mr Markle was revealed to have worked with photographers who paid him for staged images suggesting he was preparing for the ceremony.
He later withdrew from attending the wedding at Windsor, citing health problems. Since then, the pair have had no meaningful contact.
Mr Markle now lives in the Philippines and is currently recovering from an emergency leg amputation.
Health Crisis Sparks Limited Contact
On December 2, Mr Markle was rushed to hospital after becoming seriously ill at home. He was admitted to intensive care on the island of Cebu, where doctors carried out what was described as “life or death” surgery that resulted in his left leg being amputated below the knee.
Days after the operation, Meghan’s team confirmed that she had written a letter to her father, which was delivered by “reliable and trusted contacts.”
Despite this gesture, Meghan has not travelled to see him in hospital. She has also reportedly avoided speaking to him by phone, amid concerns that hospital staff might overhear their conversation, according to The Times.
‘Trust and Reassurance’ Needed
Royal commentator Jennie Bond has suggested that Meghan would need significant guarantees before agreeing to any reconciliation.
“As I have often said, families are complicated,” Bond told The Mirror.
“None of us truly knows what has gone on between Meghan and her father, but it is a very sad situation when a daughter cannot simply pick up the phone to her dad.
“She (Meghan) will also be wary because it seems that her father and brother are intent on giving their side of the story. So there would have to be a lot of trust and reassurance before any meeting.”
Tensions With Half-Siblings
Meghan is also estranged from her paternal half-siblings, Thomas Markle Jr, 59, and Samantha Markle, 61, both of whom have publicly criticised her over the years.
Samantha once dubbed Meghan the “Duchess of Nonsense,” while Thomas Jr labelled Meghan and Harry “hyprocrites,” particularly following the release of the Duchess’s Netflix series focusing on love and family.
Recently, Thomas Jr — now his father’s main carer — has appealed to Meghan to put past differences aside, citing their father’s declining health.
“My only wish is that Meghan shows my father some compassion. He is literally fighting for his life,” he told the Daily Mail earlier this month.
Thomas Markle Sr’s Plea
Mr Markle Sr has faced several serious health issues in recent years, including two heart attacks and a stroke that required speech therapy.
Speaking from his hospital bed, he reiterated his desire to reconnect with his daughter and meet his grandchildren, Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four.
“I’ve always said I am open to reconciling with my daughter,” he said.
“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.”
Prince Harry’s Support
Bond believes Prince Harry would stand firmly behind his wife, regardless of the decision she makes.
“It would be nice to think he (Thomas Sr) could meet his grandchildren – and indeed his son-in-law – before it is too late, and be reconciled with the daughter he loves,” she said.
Harry himself has a strained relationship with his own father, King Charles III, who is currently undergoing treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer.
In September, the 41-year-old Duke returned briefly to London for the WellChild Awards and reportedly spent around an hour with the 77-year-old monarch at Clarence House.
