Meghan Markle’s father ‘alert and coherent’ after successful heart surgery.
Meghan Markle’s father underwent a successful heart surgery on Wednesday, one day after he revealed he wouldn’t be attending his daughter’s wedding on Saturday.
TMZ reported on Wednesday afternoon that they spoke to Thomas Markle, who “seemed alert and coherent,” following his scheduled heart surgery, which involved surgeons implanting three stents, “but he wasn’t sure.” He says he suffered a heart attack last week.
He remains in the hospital now, and it’s unclear when he’ll be released.
The surgery comes after a dramatic several days during which Markle’s family was embroiled in controversy. After it was revealed that Thomas had staged paparazzi photos of himself getting ready for the royal wedding before flying over to London, the former “Suits” star’s estranged father announced through TMZ that he wouldn’t be attending the nuptials out of fear that he would further embarrass his daughter and the royal family.
One day later, though, while admitting that the photos were “stupid,” they didn’t cause serious enough embarrassment for any of the involved parties to force him out of walking his own daughter down the aisle on her wedding day. Despite still wanting to attend the royal wedding at Windsor Castle, Thomas said that his doctors hadn’t cleared him for travel.
Later on Tuesday, when he revealed that he was scheduled to go into heart surgery on Wednesday, he expressed his remorse that he wouldn’t be able to be there after all.
With Thomas unable to be present to walk the “devastated” Meghan down the aisle, her mother, Doria Ragland, is expected to fill the role on his behalf come Saturday. Ragland was spotted heading to LAX on Tuesday afternoon carrying a Burberry garment bag and she’s reportedly now in England.
Also in England ahead of the wedding? The rest of Meghan’s extended family, who weren’t invited to the wedding. Nephew Tyler and his brother, Thomas, were spotted at Heathrow Airport on Tuesday with their mother, Tracy, who was the wife of Markle’s half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr.
TMZ reports that they’re in England as special correspondents for “Good Morning Britain.”
Samantha Markle, Meghan’s half-sister and her most outspoken critic, is also reportedly in the hospital from an apparent broken ankle and knee fracture after a “confrontation with the paparazzi” in Florida.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are set to get married on Saturday, May 19, inside St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.
