“I JUST WANT TO WALK AGAIN…” Thomɑs Mɑrkle is wɑiting for ɑ prosthetic leg — hoping for one lɑst chɑnce ɑt independence… while still estrɑnged from Meghɑn Mɑrkle

Meghan Markle‘s estranged father Thomas had ‘much to celebrate’ this Christmas as he successfully began the arduous journey towards walking again.

Mr Markle, 81, had his left leg amputated below the knee earlier this month and was in intensive care for five days after suffering a massive blood clot which cut off circulation to his left foot.

But as he celebrated Christmas this week from his hospital bed in the Philippines, Mr Markle said: ‘I have much to celebrate. I am doing well and would like to thank all the people from around the world who have sent well-wishes.

‘I’m doing physiotherapy every day and have managed to sit on the side of the bed and even stood on my one remaining leg with the help of a nurse and a walking frame. That was a wonderful Christmas present. There is a long way to go but I am so grateful to the wonderful doctors and nurses who are taking such good care of me.’

Mr Markle is now in a hospital rehabilitation unit in the Philippine city of Cebu where he moved with his son Tom Jr. at this start of this year.

Tom Jr. celebrated Christmas at his father’s bedside alongside his girlfriend of nearly a year Rose, 28, and Mr Markle’s private nurse Christine.

He said: ‘Dad’s doing remarkably well considering what he’s been through. Rose and I visited him for Christmas and took him a card with tinsel and a few sweets taped to the inside. He’s on a special diet and has had to drastically cut back on sugar but the doctors said he could have a couple of candies to celebrated Christmas.

‘He was able to get out of bed and was taken by a wheelchair to a recreation room where he enjoyed food and entertainment with some of the other rehab patients. He’s in good spirits, grateful to be alive and working really hard to get better. He a brave man and is determined to walk again with the aid of a prosthetic leg.’

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Mr Markle has been doing daily physiotherapy in hospital to build up his strength

Thomas Markle and Caroline Graham in Mexico in 2019

Mr Markle (pictured here with his daughter in 2011) famously fell out with Meghan on the eve of her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry

Mr Markle famously fell out with his daughter on the eve of her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry.

He had posed for some paparazzi pictures in the misguided view they would help improve his public image and then suffered two heart attacks which prevented him walking his daughter down the aisle at St George’s Chapel in Windsor.

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Meghan walked herself down the aisle part of the way but was escorted up to the alter by King Charles, an act Mr Markle called ‘extremely kind and generous.’

He said: ‘I will always regret not being able to walk Meghan down the aisle but King Charles stepped in and I shall be forever grateful to him. It was an extremely kind and generous thing for him to do.’

Mr Markle claims he received an ‘angry’ phone call from his daughter and Prince Harry as he recovered from the second heart attack – which led to their estrangement.

When he suffered a massive stroke in 2022 he did not hear from his daughter.

After his leg was amputated earlier this month she sent him a letter via the local US consulate which was presented to him in the presence of a lawyer who videotaped it being handed over.

Mr Markle has repeatedly said he would love to reconcile with his daughter and meet his grandchildren Archie, six and four-year-old Lilibet.

He has never met his son-in-law Prince Harry.

He is expected to remain in the rehab facility for at least three months as he learns to stand upright again, first with the aid of a walking frame and then with crutches. Doctors then hope to fit him with a prosthetic leg.

Tom Jr said: ‘There’s a long way to go but we had a lot to celebrate this Christmas.’