Estrangement between a child and a parent isn't unusual. According to NPR , around one-quarter of adults maintain zero contact with their moms or dads. Even celebrities sometimes decide to cut the cord, like Meghan Markle did with her father, Thomas Markle.

In 2018, the dad and daughter went through a contentious and public split. Years later, in 2025, Meghan finally contacted her father (age 81) after he underwent leg amputation surgery, as confirmed by her spokesperson (via People ). Whether or not the surgery thaws their relationship permanently, Thomas' treatment is a story unto itself, because the emergency procedure may have saved his life.

According to Thomas' son, Thomas Markle, Jr., the decision to amputate was based on the condition of Thomas' lower leg after he lost blood

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