Meghan Markle has been sent a warning over her fractured relationship with her dad Thomas Markle. The 44-year-old has not been on speaking terms with her dad since 2018, the same year that she married Prince Harry in Windsor.
It has recently been reported that Meghan had been trying to reach out to her dad after he underwent emergency surgery after falling ill at his home in the Philippines. Mr Markle had to have his lower leg and foot amputated, with the 81-year-old said to have left intensive care but still remaining in hospital.
According to family counselling expert Dr Jane Halsall, Meghan needs to do one major thing if she wants to “heal” their strained relationship. She revealed that the process of healing relies on “respecting boundaries”
She noted Mr Markle’s public statements regarding his youngest daughter, whom he reportedly once shared a very close bond with.
Speaking to the Mirror, Dr Halsall added: “Public statements against their wishes, as in this case, can intensify this tension.
“Healing relies on respecting boundaries, careful communication, and therapeutic support. If there is estrangement within a family, then it takes time to heal and resilience – the effort to balance love, concern, and self-protection while maintaining psychological well-being for yourself.”
Dr Halsall added: “Estrangement between adult children and parents is emotionally painful, often arising from boundary violations or disappointment.
“Depending on the dynamics, adult children may worry for their parent, while needing to protect themselves, which leads to them experiencing both grief and ambivalence.”
Speaking about Meghan’s attempts to contact her father, a spokesperson for the Duchess of Sussex has said: “It has been exceedingly difficult for the Duchess to contact her father privately, despite her efforts over the past several days.”
Due to his fractured relationship with Meghan, Mr Markle has never met Prince Harry or his grandchildren, Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four.
