Meghan Markle's estranged father, Thomas Markle, is currently trapped in his apartment in the Philippines following a powerful earthquake that struck the region.
The 80-year-old, who has struggled with mobility due to health issues, is reportedly stuck on the 19th floor of a building.
His daughter’s half-sister, Samantha Markle, confirmed the news in a post on X, writing: "My father is stuck on the 19th floor of a building in the Philippines after a massive earthquake and he can't walk and he is trapped."
Thomas Markle’s Move to the Philippines
Earlier this year, Thomas made the bold decision to relocate to the Philippines in search of a new beginning after facing a series of personal and health challenges.
He moved with his son, Thomas Markle Jr., but adjusting to the new climate and cultural environment has proven to be difficult for the older man.
A source speaking to The New York Post earlier this year revealed: “Thomas and his son took the plunge and moved to Southeast Asia.
"It’s been hard but they have each other.”
Estranged Relationship with Meghan Markle
Thomas's relationship with his daughter, the Duchess of Sussex, remains fractured.
The pair have not spoken in years, with the rift beginning ahead of Markle's wedding to Prince Harry in 2018.
The controversy surrounding the older man's involvement in staging paparazzi photos ultimately led to his absence from the royal wedding.
In 2021, Thomas reflected on the incident, telling Good Morning Britain: “I wish I hadn't done the whole thing.
"They [the press] were making me an alcoholic, calling me names, talking about the way I dress," cited by Express.
"So, I went for this deal where this man was going to make me look better.
"Maybe I got sucked into it, but I believed him, and I thought it was going to work.
"It didn’t work. Of course," he added.
The fallout from Thomas’s actions has had lasting effects on his relationship with the former royal, who has openly discussed the grief she feels over the loss of their once-close bond.
“I grieve a lot,” she said in 2021, per US Weekly.
“I mean, I’ve lost my father. I lost a baby. I nearly lost my name.
"I mean, there’s the loss of identity. But I’m still standing, and my hope for people in the takeaway from this is to know that there’s another side.”
Thomas has also never met his grandchildren, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.