Thomas Markle has reportedly been contacted by his daughter Meghan Markle for the first time in eight years after his latest health scare. Meghan, 44, has not previously spoken to her dad - who has had a leg amputation for a “life-threatening emergency” - since 2018 after a major falling out.

While it is not known what The Duchess of Sussex has said to her father this week, her aides have confirmed that she has reached out to him. It is not known whether this will end their almost decade-long estrangement, which has meant Thomas has not been able to ever meet his grandchildren Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four.

This estrangement is not something Meghan has talked about for years, whereas her father - who is believe to now be in a stable condition in hospital - has addressed the rift with his daughter multiple times.

This included during an appearance on Good Morning Britain in 2023, where he made a comment about how he feels about the rift with his daughter and the fact he has never met his grandchildren.

He told Good Morning Britain hosts Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley at the time that he was “heartbroken” about the situation and the fact Meghan would not talk to him.

When asked how he feels, he said: “I guess heartbroken, I’m very upset by it as well because this is a cruel thing to do to a grandparent, not just to me but to the King of England as well.”

He then continued: “There is no excuse for her to treat me this way, no excuse to treat the King that way as well. It’s no excuse to treat grandparents that way.”

He also said that if Meghan was watching the interview at the time in 2023, he would say: “Put the past behind us and allow me to see my grandkids.”

Thomas Markle, 81, currently lives in The Philippines.

It is not known what mode of communication Meghan used to contact her father, or whether he has responded.

It is also not known whether this could lead to a reconciliation between Meghan and her father, and whether this could result in Thomas ever meeting his royal grandchildren.