Meghan makes contact with estranged father in hospital

A letter from Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex has now reached her estranged father, who is in hospital in the Philippines.

Thomas Markle, who has reportedly had his left lower leg amputated, told the Mail on Sunday he does not want to die while distanced from his daughter.

He said he wishes to meet his grandchildren, Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four, as well as Meghan's husband, the Duke of Sussex.

A spokesperson for the duchess said it "has been exceedingly difficult for the Duchess to contact her father privately, despite her efforts over the past several days".

But, the spokesperson added, Meghan's letter "is now safely in his hands" thanks to the support of "reliable and trusted contacts".

Last Friday, a spokesperson for the Duchess said she had attempted to reach out to him in hospital but had been unable to locate him.

Mr Markle, who moved from Mexico to live in the Philippines, told the newspaper he had not received any messages to his usual phone number.

According to the PA news agency, the Duchess does not have his phone number and believes he is not in possession of his phone while in hospital.

Her team confirmed she had in fact emailed her dad, but the paper reported that he "never uses email".

On Wednesday, a spokesperson for the duchess said: "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."

Also on Wednesday, the Daily Mail's parent company DMG said in a statement that Thomas Markle had contacted their journalist Caroline Graham when he was taken ill in the Philippines and asked her to travel from LA to be with him.

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

"As soon as Mr Markle gave consent for his contact details, the name of his hospital and his room number to be provided to his daughter's spokesman, Caroline shared them.

"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."

The relationship between Meghan and her father broke down in the run-up to her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018.

During the couple's engagement, the media interest in Thomas Markle and his family was intense.

Mr Markle was found to have colluded with photographers who paid him for photos which appeared to show him preparing for the wedding.

The fallout saw him pull out of his daughter's wedding just days before the ceremony in Windsor, citing health problems.

King Charles III - who was then the Prince of Wales - walked Meghan down the aisle instead.

It is not clear if Meghan ever resumed any proper relationship with her father following her marriage.

He was critical of his daughter and son-in-law's decision to step back from public duty in the UK and criticise the royal family.

In one media interview he said: "I think they're both turning into lost souls at this point."

"I don't know what they're looking for," he added. "I don't think they know what they're looking for."

On Sunday, Mr Markle told the Mail: "I've always said I am open to reconciling with my daughter. 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."