Meghan Markle’s estranged father is reportedly struggling to settle in to his new home after making a drastic life change this year. Thomas Markle, 80, moved to the Philippines earlier this year after leaving his long-time home in Mexico.
Meghan’s father said he made the move to Southeast Asia as he was ready for a “change”. Before the move, Mr Markle – who has not spoken to his daughter Meghan since 2018 – told the Daily Mail: “I am ready for a change. I have felt stuck in a rut for some time and I am ready to meet new people and experience kindness.”
He continued: “Mostly I just want peace. At 80, none of us know how long we have left. I want whatever time I have to be peaceful with none of the awful drama of recent years.”
However, while Mr Markle always seemed excited about the move to the island of Cebu, it appears that he is not finding the change as easy as he expected, despite his son Thomas Jr, 58, moving with him.
This is because Mr Markle and Meghan’s half-brother, who are reportedly living in a high-rise flat, are struggling to adapt to the extreme heat on the island, as reported by GB News.
A source told The Post: “Thomas and his son took the plunge and moved to Southeast Asia. It’s been hard but they have each other.”
In the summer, Cebu Island gets extremely hot and humid, which could be putting a strain on Meghan’s 80-year-old father, who has reportedly been seen walking with a cane.
A source told The Mirror last month: “There are only two types of weather in Cebu: hot and humid, and hot and humid and raining. It’s brutal even for men half his (Thomas Markle’s) age, but it’s still sad to see him looking as though he’s struggling.”
It is believed Meghan is still not on speaking terms with her father, and has not been since 2018 when he staged paparazzi pictures before her wedding to Prince Harry.
The Duchess of Sussex then wrote a letter reaching out to her father, which was then given by Mr Markle to The Daily Mail in 2019.
It is believed Mr Markle has never met Prince Harry or his grandchildren Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four.