Thomas Markle Sr. in ICU After Emergency Surgery in Philippines

Thomas Markle, the 81-year-old father of the Duchess of Sussex, was rushed to a hospital in the Philippines on Tuesday after falling seriously ill at his home on the island of Cebu. He underwent a three-hour emergency surgery on Thursday and remains in intensive care, where medical staff are monitoring his condition ahead of another procedure to remove a blood clot.

His son, Thomas Markle Jr., who lives nearby and assists with his care, described the urgent events to reporters. "I took dad to a hospital close to our home and they did various scans and the doctors said his life was in imminent danger," Markle Jr. said. "They raced us by ambulance, with the sirens going, to a much bigger hospital in the center of the city. My dad has undergone emergency surgery." He added that people around the world should keep his father in their thoughts, emphasizing the gravity of the situation.

Markle Sr. has a history of significant health challenges. In the weeks leading up to his daughter Meghan's 2018 wedding to Prince Harry, he suffered two heart attacks that prevented him from attending the ceremony in London. In 2022, he experienced a major stroke while living in Tijuana, Mexico, which...