Meghan's father Thomas Markle suffers stroke days before Queen's Platinum Jubilee

24 May 2022, 20:32 | Updated: 24 May 2022, 20:43

Thomas Markle (left) the estranged father of The Duchess of Sussex has suffered a stroke.
Thomas Markle (left) the estranged father of The Duchess of Sussex has suffered a stroke. Picture: Channel 5/Alamy

By Sophie Barnett

Meghan Markle's estranged father Thomas Markle has suffered a major stroke just days before he was set to travel to the UK for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

The 77-year-old, who has not yet met his grandchildren Archie and Lilibet, was rushed to hospital on Tuesday morning.

Karl Larsen, who has a YouTube channel with Mr Markle, confirmed the news on Tuesday evening.

He said the retired director of photography had been looking forward to travelling to the UK for the jubilee, and had hoped to meet members of the Royal Family for the first time.

The news, first reported in MailOnline by Dan Wootton, comes after Mr Markle spoke last month of his desire to travel to the UK for the celebration, which marks the Queen's 70th year on the throne.

Mr Wootton has claimed the 77-year-old has lost his speech as a result of the stroke. He is currently receiving urgent medical treatment in an American hospital.

Mr Markle did not attend Harry and Meghan's wedding in 2018 as he was recovering from heart surgery.

The Duchess of Sussex has been estranged from her father since he was caught staging paparazzi photographs ahead of her wedding.

Read more: Smiling Queen arrives at Chelsea Flower Show in buggy amid ongoing mobility issues

Read more: Meghan Markle's father dismisses suggestion that Royals or British people are racist

Nick Ferrari and caller have fiery debate over Harry and Meghan

He has previously said he hoped to face the duke and duchess in court as part of a defamation case being brought by the duchess's half-sister.

He previously told GB News he was "looking forward" to his trip to the UK.

Speaking from his home in Rosarito, Mexico, Mr Markle said: "I'm going to show my respect for the Queen and I'm going to make sure that the Queen understands that my entire family respects the Queen and the royals.

"We admire them and we want them to know that's how we feel about them and that's how we feel about England."

Mr Markle added that he felt he had a right to meet his grandchildren.

Mr Markle has clashed with his daughter in the press on numerous occasions since he missed the Duchesses wedding.

Last year, he spoke out about his daughter's suggestion that the Royal Family or British people are racist, following the Duchesses Oprah interview.

Queen tours Chelsea Flower Show from comfort of electric buggy

Responding to a claim made by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex that there was "concern" by one royal over the colour of their son Archie's skin before he was born, Mr Markle said he "doesn't think the Royal Family are racist at all".

"I have great respect for the royals and I don't think the British Royal Family are racist at all," he said.

"I don't think the British are racist."

He said he hoped when someone allegedly asked about how dark Harry and Meghan's baby's skin tone might be that it was "just a dumb question" rather than an act of racism.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Exclusive
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has refused to rule out a wealth tax amid increasing pressure on the government.

Cabinet minister refuses to rule out wealth tax amid growing pressure on Chancellor

Ringo Starr poses beside the 'Peace & Love' sculpture during a celebration of his 85th birthday in Beverly Hills. Picture: Alamy

'Peace and love': Beatles legend Ringo Starr celebrates 85th birthday in style in Beverly Hills

eople look on as law enforcement and volunteers continue to search for missing people near Camp Mystic, the site of where at least 20 girls went missing after flash flooding in Hunt, Texas

Scale of Texas flash floods devastation pictured as death toll reaches more than 100 - as some young girls still missing

A volunteer girl working at a UK Trussell Trust local church food bank packs a client food parcel into a carrier bag.

Children in England living in ‘Dickensian levels of poverty’ amid calls to scrap two-child benefit cap

Breaking News

Man shot by police left with 'life-changing' injuries after bomb squad and counter-terror officers called to village pub

Woodhead Reservoir' water levels drop to an all time low as the UK has the driest spring for 96 years

Hosepipe restrictions introduced in parts of UK from Friday after driest and warmest spring on record

The TikToker warned others about "people dressing up" as train workers and asking people to tap their card on a device in order to steal money.

'Be careful': TikToker warns of sophisticated London Tube scam that sees people pose as train workers

A handful of people are being given the medicine on a case-by-case basis while it is reviewed for wider use on the NHS.

‘Groundbreaking’ drug could slow down progression of type 1 diabetes - as it's tried by UK patients

(left to right) Liam Og O Hannaidh (Mo Chara) wearing a keffiyeh, and Naoise O Caireallain (Moglai Bap) performing on stage at London's Finsbury Park, as a support act to headliners, Fontaines DC.

Police say they have ‘proportionate and considered’ plan ahead of Kneecap gig in Glasgow

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson would not be drawn on whether the plans will be retained.

Ministers fail to rule out cutting special needs school plans after campaigners warn against the move

Security fencing, razor wire and CCTV cameras around the perimeter of a UK prison.

Prisons under siege from sky: Drones dropping zombie knives and kilos of drugs into UK prisons, watchdog warns

Bebe King, 6, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, 9 lost their lives in the attacks which rocked the entire UK

Southport inquiry to begin into 'one of the most horrific crimes in our country’s history'

Traffic on the M60 near Manchester

Long-running road and rail projects to go ahead after year-long pause

Captain Tom Moore at his home in Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire, after he achieved his goal of 100 laps of his garden

Probe into Captain Tom Foundation has not impacted trust in charities, claims watchdog

Exclusive
f

Chancellor to look at tax 'very carefully' - as No 10 and Treasury refuse to rule out taxing Britain’s richest people

Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria stops the match against Jannik Sinner of Italy with injury during day eight of the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London, July 7, 2025. (The Yomiuri Shimbun via AP Images)

Dimitrov suffers Wimbledon heartbreak after retiring injured while leading Sinner