Meghan Markle's Father Thomas Reportedly Suffered Permanent Heart Damage From Pre-Wedding Health Scare

Meghan Markle's father, Thomas, has suffered permanent damage to his heart due to the illness that made him miss the royal wedding, according to a report by The Daily Star Online.

Thomas, 73, suffered a heart attack back in the spring that ultimately excluded him from his daughter's wedding to Prince Harry. On Tuesday his other daughter, Samantha Markle, said that the complications did not end there, as Thomas' heart will never be the same again.

"His heart is still damaged... the muscle will always be damaged," she said.

Samantha said that surgeons had "implanted three stents in his blood vessels" after "clearing the blockage and repairing the damage" in her father's heart. She added that she was spending a lot of time with him as Markle's pregnancy brought their family back into the spotlight.

"He is now really happy and doing great," she said. "He's not letting any of the media madness get him down, he has better things going on."

Samantha has made the rounds on talk shows and celebrity news outlets several times over, sticking up for the father she shares with her half-sister, the Duchess of Sussex. She claims that she is now trying to help Thomas regain and maintain his health.

Both Samantha and Thomas are reportedly on shaky ground with Markle, mostly because of their interactions with the press. Both have been known to give high-profile interviews where they have accused the 37-year-old royal of cutting them out of her life.

At the time of her father's heart attack, Markle had little to say.

"I have always cared for my father and hope he can be given the space he needs to focus on his health," she said in a statement at the time.

She has reportedly not spoken to her father since he was caught selling posed photographs to the paparazzi, as if they were candids.

Nowadays, Samantha says that their father "has improved," and is "not depressed." In spite of his health concerns, she seemed more worried about his mental fortitude.

"He is getting a bit stronger and is certainly psychologically stronger," she said. "I've been working with him to remind him not to be defined by cyber bullies but rather to remember his greatness and focus on the positive things in his life."