Thomas Markle Finds Romance with Filipina Nurse After Leg Amputation

Thomas Markle, the 81-year-old father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, has entered a new romantic relationship with a Filipina nurse he met during his recovery from a major health crisis in the Philippines. The retired Hollywood lighting director, who has lived estranged from his daughter since her 2018 marriage to Prince Harry, described the partnership as a source of renewed joy after years of personal challenges.

Markle met Rio Canedo, 46, last December at a rehabilitation clinic in Cebu, where he was undergoing treatment following the amputation of his lower left leg due to a severe blood clot. The procedure came after four days in intensive care and marked a low point in a series of health setbacks, including a stroke in 2022 that temporarily impaired his speech. Canedo, a mother of two adult children, was among the staff caring for him during his extended stay. She has since moved in with him at the facility, helping manage his ongoing recovery from pneumonia and implementing lifestyle changes such as a strict no-sugar diet that has led to significant weight loss.

In interviews, Markle expressed profound gratitude for the relationship, which he said has restored his sense of...