Meghan reaches out to estranged father after amputation reports, spokesman says

14 hours agoDaniela Relph,Royal correspondentandAmy WalkerThe Duchess of Sussex has attempted to contact her estranged father, Thomas Markle, who is reported to be seriously ill in hospital in the Philippines.A spokesman for Meghan said: "I can confirm she has reached out to her father."Mr Markle is reported to have had his leg amputated during surgery. The BBC understands that Meghan tried to contact him earlier today, but it is not clear whether the attempt was successful. The relationship between Meghan and her father broke down in the run-up to her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018.During the couple's engagement, the media interest in Thomas Markle and his family was intense. Mr Markle was found to have colluded with photographers who paid him for photos appearing to show the father of the bride preparing for the wedding.The fallout saw him pull out of his daughter's wedding just days before the ceremony in Windsor, citing health problems.King Charles III - who was then the Prince of Wales - walked Meghan down the aisle instead.It is not clear if Meghan ever resumed any proper relationship with her father following her marriage. Thomas Markle is not believed to have met Harry and Meghan's children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.He was critical of his daughter and son-in-law's decision to step back from public duty in the UK and criticise the royal family. In one media interview he said: "I think they're both turning into lost souls at this point.""I don't know what they're looking for," he added. "I don't think they know what they're looking for."