Meghan Markle's Dad Is Having Heart Surgery

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published 16 May 2018

We have a sad update for you: Meghan Markle's dad, Thomas Markle, is reportedly having heart surgery. If this is the case, the procedure will prevent him from flying to the U.K., which means he definitely won't be walking his daughter down the aisle.

Though there's no official confirmation from Kensington Palace about Thomas' current health or wedding attendance status, he told TMZ that he will go into surgery tomorrow morning. It was previously reported that he had a heart attack last week, but checked himself out of the hospital so that he could be there for Meghan's big day. However, as of this morning, he was still having chest pains caused by emotional stress, and so he returned back to the hospital.

"They [doctors] will go in and clear blockage, repair damage and put a stent where it is needed," he says.

Over the weekend, reports surfaced that Thomas staged paparazzi photos taken of him preparing for his daughter’s wedding. Thomas admitted to this, and later Meghan’s step-sister Samantha Markle claimed it was her idea for him to do it in the first place. Once the news went public, Thomas told TMZ that he decided not to go to the wedding or walk Meghan down the aisle "because he doesn't want to embarrass the royal family or his daughter.”

Kensington Palace then released the following statement:

"This is a deeply personal moment for Ms. Markle in the days before her wedding. She and Prince Harry ask again for understanding and respect to be extended to Mr. Markle in this difficult situation.”

On Tuesday, Thomas changed his mind about not attending the wedding. He told TMZ that staging the paparazzi photos of himself was "stupid" but "hates the idea of missing one of the greatest moments in history and walking my daughter down the aisle.”

However, he began to have heart complications again and checked himself back into the hospital. Now that the surgery is happening, it's highly unlikely he will be out of the hospital and flown to the U.K. in time for the wedding.

Rachel Epstein is a writer, editor, and content strategist based in New York City. Most recently, she was the Managing Editor at Coveteur, where she oversaw the site’s day-to-day editorial operations. Previously, she was an editor at Marie Claire, where she wrote and edited culture, politics, and lifestyle stories ranging from op-eds to profiles to ambitious packages. She also launched and managed the site’s virtual book club, #ReadWithMC. Offline, she’s likely watching a Heat game or finding a new coffee shop.

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