Meghan Markle Reportedly Finally Reaches Ailing Dad Through 'Trusted Contacts'

The years-long estrangement between Meghan Markle and her father may be nearing its conclusion amid his recent health battle.

The Duchess of Sussex and Thomas Markle stopped talking in 2018 shortly before the former actress became a part of the Royal Family. She cut off contact with her dad after he staged paparazzi photos ahead of her union with Prince Harry.

Although Thomas Markle made several attempts to reconnect with Meghan Markle, it took a near-death experience to open the doors of communication. However, a third party's interference may delay a possible reunion between father and daughter.

According to new reports, a spokesman for Meghan confirmed she had made contact with her dad after multiple failed attempts. "With the support of reliable and trusted contacts, her correspondence is now safely in his hands," the rep claimed.

Meghan penned a letter to her father days after his emergency surgery. She had reportedly tried to reach him on December 5 via email as news of his health spread; however, her efforts never made it to Thomas in the Philippines.

PEOPLE claimed Meghan's efforts continued with several attempts to pinpoint the hospital her father was recovering at by making personal phone calls to multiple facilities in the Philippines. Her team also contacted those close to Thomas for the best way to communicate during his recovery.

Meghan cannot reach her father by phone because he is not currently in possession of his phone at the hospital. Even if he had his phone, the Duchess of Sussex allegedly did not have a working phone number, making calls impossible.

Besides the lack of a phone, Meghan wouldn't want to risk having a third party listening in during her calls with Thomas. The Daily Mail reporter, Caroline Graham, had been by the Markle patriarch's side since last week and remains by his bedside, sharing updates on the situation.

Meghan did not appreciate the reporter's involvement, with her spokesperson blaming Graham for the delay in communications between the father and daughter. "It has been exceedingly difficult for the Duchess to contact her father privately, despite her efforts over the past several days," the rep alleged.

Meghan's spokesperson slammed the reporter for not leaving Thomas's bedside while "broadcasting each interaction and breaching clear ethical boundaries." Despite these words, Graham didn't appear out of thin air and force her way into the Markle patriarch's life.

A spokesperson for the Daily Mail's parent company, DMG Media, shed light on Graham's relationship with Thomas in a statement to the BBC. The rep claimed the pair have been close pals since 2018, presumably kicking things off after Thomas's estrangement from Meghan.

Thomas seemed to place a great deal of trust in Graham as he allegedly contacted her immediately after realizing he needed emergency surgery. He asked the reporter to travel to the Philippines to be by his side, a claim Graham echoed, alleging Thomas called her before his children.

The Blast covered Thomas's medical emergency, reporting that he was admitted at the intensive care unit of a teaching hospital in Cebu, Philippines, after suffering a severe infection that damaged his leg. The aftermath saw doctors rushing to amputate Meghan's father's leg to save his life.

The health scare did a number on Thomas as he feared he might soon take his last breath and immediately began pleading for another chance to reconcile with his daughter before it was too late. He also begged for a chance to meet his son-in-law and grandchildren.

Thomas claimed he never changed his phone number because he had been waiting for the day Meghan would decide to call. As stated, the duo became estranged after Thomas staged paparazzi photos for money in the days leading up to her wedding to Harry, and lied about it.

Following the Markle patriarch's hospitalization, his son Thomas Markle Jr. opened up about his health ordeal. The Blast shared that he recalled taking his father to a hospital close to their home for a checkup, only to find out that his life was in danger.

Then they rushed him to a bigger hospital for the emergency surgery, with Thomas Sr.'s daughter, Samantha Markle, claiming the operation marked one of many health ordeals. She noted her father "has been through two heart attacks, a stroke, and an earthquake."

Both siblings asked for prayers for their father's recovery, but Thomas Jr. believed the patriarch would feel much better following the end of his years-long estrangement with his daughter. "My only wish is that Meghan shows my father some compassion. He is literally fighting for his life," he said.