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ALONE, ILL & AFRAID
Meghan Markle’s sister Samantha blasts claims that Kensington Palace is helping their poorly dad Thomas in hospital
MEGHAN Markle’s dad is alone and upset in hospital after surgery for a dangerous heart condition, her sister said last night.
Samantha slammed claims Kensington Palace was helping their ailing dad Thomas, 73 — revealing she had to wire him cash to survive.
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Meghan’s wheelchair-bound sister, 53, said he was devastated to miss Meghan’s wedding to Prince Harry on Saturday but had been given no information by Kensington Palace.
She told us: “He was upset. He wanted to go. But his doctor had the overruling opinion he needed surgery. So he’s smart enough to know, ‘This is life-threatening’.
“It’s all been so heartbreaking and now my father’s in surgery.”
Samantha claimed her dad “checked in anonymously” to hospital yesterday to avoid photographers. There had been no sign of him leaving home in Rosarito, Mexico.
What we know so far…
- Meghan Markle will be walked down the aisle by Prince Charles, Kensington Palace announced today
- Meghan confirmed her dad Thomas Markle would not be at her wedding as he continues to recover from major heart surgery
- Thomas Markle had earlier said he wouldn’t be attending for fear of embarrassing Meghan over staged paparazzi photos
- The 73-year-old suffered a heart scare last week which he has reportedly blamed on an open letter by his son Tom Jr – who has since said he’s “mortified”
- Samantha Markle, Meghan’s half-sister, slammed claims Kensington Palace is supporting their dad in hospital before she was injured in a car crash on Wednesday
- Police have since said they could not find any evidence of the crash
- Doria met with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge a Royal Wedding rehearsal and is expected to sit down for afternoon tea with the Queen today
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But he was last night said to have undergone successful heart surgery. He told reporters: “Staying in the hospital a few more days. Not allowed to get excited.”
Samantha, who has multiple sclerosis, rejected reports that Kensington Palace had offered significant support to her dad in Mexico.
She added: “That is not true or he would not have been living in his place. He’d have been with security. I have receipts showing I’ve sent my father money twice by MoneyGram because he needed it.
“He is badly in need of help. I’m dreadfully worried about him. He’s completely on his own.”
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Florida-based Samantha said the Palace had not offered to fly him to London early or give him details about how he would get there.
She said: “There was no actual contact from Meghan and she has not spoken with my father since the heart attack. I don’t know why, I’m not blaming her.”
Samantha also said Harry — who has never met Thomas — had stayed silent, claiming: “I know that contact has not been made.”
Thomas’s first heart attack last week saw him treated in an ill-equipped local hospital.
Meghan Markle’s dad Thomas to undergo heart operation and will miss Royal Wedding
His daughter said: “I was worried as I hadn’t heard from him in a day and a half. And he called me crying and he said, ‘I had a heart attack.’”
He had recently been trying to live a healthy lifestyle, she said.
Samantha denied claims there was a rift between them over the deal to stage photos before the wedding. She insisted she brokered it to “defend” him from the paparazzi.
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Samantha said Thomas was devastated by son Tom Jr who wrote an open letter saying Harry and Meghan should not marry. She said: “My father wants nothing to do with him.”
But last night Tom Jr looked to have had a change of heart, calling Meghan a “perfect modern princess”.
It was also claimed Samantha was in a crash after a photographer allegedly swerved in front of a car she was in. Reports claimed she had fractured a knee and ankle.
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