Thomas Markle - the father of Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex - is in hospital after suffering a stroke. Mr Markle, 77, had hoped to meet his grandchildren - Archie and Lilibet - and other members of the Royal family for the first time as he was planning to fly to the UK in June for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
But he was rushed to hospital on Tuesday morning after having a stroke. Karl Larsen, who has a YouTube channel with Mr Markle, confirmed the news to the PA news agency.
Mr Larsen added that the retired director of photography had been looking forward to travelling to the UK for the jubilee. Mr Markle did not attend Harry and Meghan’s wedding in 2018 as he was recovering from heart surgery.
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 jubilee. Speaking to GB News from his home in Rosarito, Mexico, Mr Markle said: “I’m looking forward to it.
“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.”
He added that he felt he had a right to meet his grandchildren. Meghan has been estranged from her father since he was caught staging paparazzi photographs ahead of her wedding.
He has previously said he hoped to face the duke and duchess in court. The remark was made in connection with a defamation case being brought by the duchess’s half-sister.