Meghan Markleâs estranged father, Thomas Markle, has found it difficult to settle into his new life in the Philippines.
The 80-year-old retired TV lighting director, who had been residing in a cliffside property near the US border in Rosarito, Mexico for more than ten years, relocated across the globe earlier this year in a desperate attempt to begin anew.
His son and the “Suits” alum’s half-brother, Thomas Jr., 58, relocated with him, The Post can reveal.
Thomas Sr. settled on the crowded island of Cebu in the Philippines, moving into a $670-per-month high-rise apartment following a stay at a nearby 3-star hotel on the island.
However, the transition has been more challenging than anticipated, with insiders informing The Post that significant differences in climate, language, and lifestyle have made adaptation difficult.
“Thomas and his son took the plunge and moved to Southeast Asia,” a source tells The Post. “It’s been hard but they have each other.”
The insider added that the father-son duo “only recently” moved into their new abode.
Summer temperatures on Cebu island can range from 80 to 100 degrees and humidity levels often reach 90% — making it tougher for ailing Thomas Sr. to adjust swiftly.
“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 age, but it’s still sad to see him looking as though he’s struggling,” a source told The Mirror last month.
The regional Emmy winner has relied on the help of a cane to navigate the area’s uneven roads, the outlet adds.
His new home now sits a whopping 7,257 miles away from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, as well as their children Archie, 6, and Lilibet, who turned 4 on June 4.
But it appears as there’s no love lost, as Thomas Sr. hasn’t had any contact with his estranged daughter since 2018.
The pair’s relationship became severely strained shortly before the As Ever founder’s wedding to Harry, and has only continued to sour after he suffered a stroke in 2022. He has yet to meet his grandchildren.
Prior to moving abroad, he teased that he was interested in exploring his options in Southeast Asia, calling it a âplace of culture and beauty.â
âI am ready for a change,â he told the Daily Mail in January. âI have felt stuck in a rut for some time and I am ready to meet new people and experience kindness.â
He added that he wants to live in a more âpeacefulâ environment to avoid the âawful drama of recent years.â
And while heâs been continuously expressing interest in meeting his two grandchildren, his pleas have been met with silence from the Sussex camp.
After facing a slew of health woes in recent years, he even made a âdeathbed pleaâ to his estranged daughter in April 2023.
Still, his repeated requests to reconcile have fallen on deaf ears.
“I’m not running away. I am going in search of a more positive life,” he said of his move in January. “Every day I see something about Meghan. I wish her no ill will.”
“My dream is that one day I could bring my whole family together, like a ‘normal’ family,” he added.
