King Charles III faces a deepening family rift that has persisted for seven years, originating from tensions around Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s 2018 wedding and her estrangement from her father, Thomas Markle. With the monarch managing health challenges and institutional transitions, the unresolved divide draws renewed scrutiny, as recent medical emergencies for Thomas highlight the stakes of prolonged silence.
Escalating Tensions
The conflict traces back to the 2018 wedding, where Thomas Markle missed the ceremony due to health problems and a paparazzi scandal involving staged photos. King Charles stepped in to walk Meghan down the aisle, a gesture that underscored early strains. Royal biographer Tom Bower identifies a key flashpoint: a conference call from King Charles and the late Queen Elizabeth II urging Meghan to visit her father in the U.S. She declined, stating it would cause more harm. Charles reportedly asked Harry, “Can’t she just go and see him and make this stop?” The refusal left both royals astonished, igniting a rift that has endured.
Family Fault Lines
Meghan’s relationship with Thomas worsened alongside the couple’s growing friction with the palace. By 2020, Harry and Meghan withdrew as senior royals, pointing to media pressure and institutional issues. The estrangement with Thomas has now lasted seven years, marked by his public pleas for contact. Palace insiders note the unusual direct involvement of the monarch and queen in such a personal matter, which deepened institutional frustrations.
Monarchy Impacts
The feud distracts from King Charles’s reign, which began in 2022 after Queen Elizabeth II’s death. He has prioritized modernizing the monarchy amid these challenges, including the Sussexes’ exit, which prompted strategic shifts. Public opinion on the couple remains split post-2020, with their revelations in Harry’s 2023 memoir adding to palace tensions. Family events continue without them, reinforcing divisions that question royal unity during this transitional phase.
Thomas Markle’s Decline
Thomas’s health has deteriorated sharply. He suffered a stroke in 2022 and underwent an emergency leg amputation in December 2025 due to a blood clot. He has repeatedly expressed openness to reconciliation, stating he has never stopped loving his daughter and does not want to die estranged. On December 5, 2025, Meghan emailed him after his hospitalization, followed by a hand-delivered letter confirmed received by December 10. Thomas initially voiced confusion over contact methods due to limited phone access. Despite the outreach, reports indicate Meghan has decided against an in-person meeting, with experts citing deep trust issues as barriers to further dialogue.
Path Forward
Archewell, the Sussexes’ foundation, faces its own pressures, reporting $5.1 million in expenses against $2.1 million in donations for 2024, leading to staff cuts including three departures in December 2025. Commentators like Bower foresee no quick resolution, given patterns of media disputes, privacy clashes, and filial breakdowns. As Thomas’s condition worsens and Charles balances duties with family fallout, the stalemate tests the monarchy’s resilience. A health crisis introduces urgency, but entrenched positions and communication gaps suggest reconciliation remains distant, with implications for royal stability and personal legacies hanging in the balance.
Sources:
Tom Bower ‘Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the War between the Windsors’ (2022)
BBC News royal family coverage (2018-2025)
Royal.uk official royal family records
People Magazine December 2025
Cosmopolitan December 2025
Parade Magazine December 2025