Meghan Markle quietly reached out to her estranged father, Thomas Markle, after he underwent an emergency leg amputation—despite headlines suggesting she failed to make contact.
According to People, the Duchess of Sussex emailed her father shortly after learning about the medical emergency in the Philippines.
The message was sent late Friday morning Pacific time, December 5. The outreach was intentionally kept private.
The timing of that contact matters, given Meghan's long history with the British tabloids. For years, she has been a frequent target of hostile press narratives, often fueled by unnamed “royal experts” whose claims have later unraveled or been disputed.
What's more, according to The Associated Press, Prince Harry is currently involved in multiple lawsuits against publishers tied to the Daily Mail, alleging years of unlawful information gathering and false reporting.
Those legal battles have repeatedly drawn attention to how aggressively—and inaccurately—the British press has covered stories about Meghan and her family.
It was within that environment that a new story emerged. The Mail on Sunday reported that Thomas, 81, said he had not heard from his daughter following the surgery and described himself as “confused” by statements claiming otherwise. The report quickly gained traction, reinforcing a familiar narrative that Meghan was once again absent or indifferent.
However, People confirms that Meghan’s email did not return an error or bounce-back notification, suggesting it was successfully delivered. Sources also indicated that her team has been working to confirm the most reliable way to reach Thomas as he recovers in intensive care.
People further noted that Meghan has made efforts to contact her father on prior occasions, though those attempts have not always resulted in direct communication.
A hospital source told The Mail on Sunday, “If Meghan or anyone connected with her had called here, we would have known,” adding that no such calls were recorded. People clarified that Meghan’s outreach was made via email, not through the hospital or by phone.
Thomas, who has been estranged from Meghan since 2018 after staging paparazzi photos ahead of her wedding to Prince Harry, reiterated his desire for reconciliation.
“I have never stopped loving her,” he told The Mail on Sunday, expressing hope to meet his grandchildren, Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4.
Neither Thomas nor his son, Thomas Markle Jr., responded to People's requests for comment following the outlet's confirmation that Meghan Markle did, indeed, reach out to her father.