By Marisa Laudadio
2:38pm PST, Feb 24, 2026
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Meghan Markle's father is still recovering in a rehabilitation center following his recent leg amputation. But a small, meaningful milestone is giving him a boost amid his healing journey.
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Thomas Markle Sr. is making "good progress" as he heals from a below-the-knee amputation of his left leg, he told Britain's
Mail on Sunday. Meghan Markle's 81-year-old father recently attended a party at his health rehabilitation center in the Philippines — where he moved in early 2025 after previously living in Mexico amid his retirement — marking a major moment in his recovery.
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The party marked the first time Thomas Markle Sr. was able to wear what the Mail on Sunday described as "normal" clothes — jeans and a blue polo-style shirt — instead of a hospital gown since his December 2025 surgery. The retired Hollywood lighting director, who now uses a wheelchair, told the U.K. outlet it was "great fun" to be able to celebrate Valentine's Day with staff and other patients, who were gifted red fabric roses and candy including Ferrero Rocher chocolates. "I'm being very well taken care of and I am grateful for all the wonderful care I am getting," Meghan Markle's father said.
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Thomas Markle Sr. also shared an update on his physical recovery following his life-saving surgery, which was performed after a clot in his left thigh cut off the blood supply to his foot. "I am adjusting slowly and doing a lot of physiotherapy," he told the Mail on Sunday. "I am feeling very happy and am making good progress. I have a long way to go but am getting used to my new circumstances." He's hoping he can soon be fitted with a prosthetic leg.
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According to the
Mail on Sunday, Thomas Markle Sr. has not heard from daughter Meghan Markle since she sent him a letter a few days after his emergency December 2025 amputation surgery. They've been estranged since a breakdown in trust blew up their relationship days before the Duchess of Sussex's 2018 wedding to
Prince Harry. The retired lighting director collaborated with photographers to stage pictures, which he initially denied. He later deepened the divide as he repeatedly spoke to the media against their wishes, often criticizing his daughter and son-in-law as well as other members of Britain's royal family.
