Meghan Markle’s Father Has Leg Amputated in Emergency Life-Saving Surgery

Meghan Markle’s father, Thomas Markle, has had life-saving surgery to amputate his left leg below the knee, according to his son.

Thomas, 81, underwent a three-hour operation Wednesday to remove the lower part of his left leg and foot after suffering a blood clot, his son, Thomas Markle Jr., told the Daily Mail.

“My dad is being very brave,” said Thomas Jr., who moved to the Philippines with his father earlier this year. “His foot turned blue and then black. It happened very quickly. I took him to a local hospital and they did some scans and an ultrasound and said the leg had to be amputated.”

The retired lighting director was rushed into surgery, where Thomas Jr. said, “There was no option. I was told the leg had to be removed and it was a case of life or death.”

Thomas is now reportedly set to undergo another procedure to remove a different blood clot from his left thigh, as he remains in the intensive care unit in stable condition.

“One of his doctors said the next two or three days are critical. His left leg has been removed below the knee,” said Thomas Jr. “They were worried about infection setting in — sepsis or gangrene. The flesh was black and dying.”

Thomas has faced several health issues in recent years, reportedly suffering a stroke in 2022.

A spokesperson for the Duchess of Sussex declined to comment on her father’s health and recent surgery to the Daily Mail.

Thomas has been estranged from his daughter since her 2018 wedding to Prince William, following his admission that he staged paparazzi photos with a tabloid and lied to her about his dealings with the press, according to Meghan.

Thomas ultimately decided not to attend his daughter’s wedding, with the now-King Charles walking her down the aisle in his place.

In her 2021 tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan spoke candidly about the lack of a relationship that she has now with her dad, recalling the time that she confronted him about staging paparazzi photos. “We called my dad and I asked him… He said, ‘No, absolutely not,’” she remembered, adding that she had urged him to be honest so she could “help,” but “he wasn’t able to do that.”

“And that, for me, has really resonated, especially now as a mother,” said Meghan, who shares 6-year-old Archie and 4-year-old Lilibet with Prince William. The Suits alum added that she “can’t imagine” intentionally causing pain to her own children, which makes it tough to reconcile with her own dad. “I’ve lost my father,” she said at the time.