Meghan Markle’s father has lost his left leg below the knee after suffering from a blood clot, which cut off circulation.
Earlier this week, 81-year-old Thomas Markle was rushed to the hospital after falling ill at his home in the Philippines.
After undergoing surgery on Wednesday, doctors were forced to amputate part of his leg because the limb was quickly turning black.
His son, Thomas Jr, said in a statement: ‘My dad is being very brave. 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.’
Thomas Jr said there was no other option, with doctors telling him it was a case of ‘life or death’.
The ordeal might not be over yet for Meghan’s father – he may have to have another procedure to remove a blood clot in his left thigh.
His son added: ‘One of his doctors said the next two or three days are critical. His left leg has been removed below the knee.
‘They were worried about infection setting in – sepsis or gangrene. The flesh was black and dying.’
Symptoms of a blood clot
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) occurs when a blood clot, or thrombus, forms in one or more of the deep veins in the body – usually the leg.
According to the NHS, symptoms of a blood clot in the leg are:
- Throbbing or cramping pain in one leg (rarely both legs), usually in the calf or thigh
- Swelling in one leg (rarely both legs)
- Warm skin around the painful area
- Red or darkened skin around the painful area
- Swollen veins that are hard or sore when you touch them
These symptoms also occur in your arm or stomach if that is where the blood clot is, but it’s less common.
Thomas has a history of medical episodes. In 2018, he had two heart attacks before Meghan and Harry’s wedding
Meghan has been estranged from her father since around 2018, but has made attempts to extend an olive branch.
In 2022, it was reported that the Duchess reached out to her dad after he suffered a major stroke.
Meghan’s family estrangement explained
Meghan’s relationship to family members on her father’s side has been a source of media fodder for years, consisting of court cases, health scares and a lack of approval from spouses.
Years ago, Thomas Jr and Samantha, children of Thomas, filed a defamation case against their half-sibling, Meghan.
Meghan ultimately won the defamation case, with the judge finding that Samantha ‘failed to identify any statements that could support a claim for defamation’.
In 2021, Thomas threatened to take Meghan and Harry to court to gain access to his grandchildren, Archie and Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor.
The former lighting director told Fox News in an exclusive interview that he is ready to take the matter to court ‘in the very near future’.
He has had a strained relationship with his daughter ever since her wedding to Harry, where Thomas struck a deal with a paparazzi photographer to stage photos of him.
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