Thomas Markle is speaking out in a new interview months after his leg amputation
Credit: Leigh Vogel/Getty; BACKGRID
NEED TO KNOW
- Thomas Markle says he is in a relationship with a nurse 35 years his junior whom he met after his leg amputation
- Meghan Markle’s estranged told The Daily Mail he “never expected to find joy and happiness again at my age”
- Meghan previously reached out to her father following his emergency surgery, despite their yearslong estrangement
Thomas Markle is sharing a personal update following his recent health struggles.
In a new interview with The Daily Mail, Meghan Markle's estranged father, 81, said he is in a relationship with nurse Rio Canedo, 46, whom he met after undergoing an emergency leg amputation in the Philippines in December 2025.
"I never expected to find joy and happiness again at my age," he told the outlet. "I felt neglected and sad for so many years, but now I am enjoying life again."
He added, "After so many tough times, I feel truly blessed to have found someone very special who takes such good care of me."
Thomas said he met Canedo — a mother of two — in mid-December while checking into a rehab hospital in the Philippines, where she works. He has been living in the Philippines in recent years after relocating from Mexico.
Canedo told The Daily Mail that she was initially unsure what to expect.
“I was a bit worried because someone had told me he had a reputation for being grumpy,” she said. “But I started working with him, and he is a total gentleman and someone who is kind and funny.”
She also said she was unfamiliar with Thomas’ connection to Meghan, 44, and Prince Harry, 41.
Thomas fblooreflected on his health setbacks in the interview, referencing the stroke he suffered in 2022.
“After my stroke, things were not great,” he said. “I wanted to go to the other side of the world to a place where the people are kind. The Philippines has a gentler way of life. I never expected to meet Rio and have my life changed in such a wonderful way.”
Thomas had his left leg removed below the knee on Dec. 3, 2025, after a blood clot in his thigh reportedly cut off circulation. The three-hour procedure took place in the Philippines, where the retired lighting director relocated with his son, Thomas Markle, Jr., earlier that year.
Credit: Craig Barritt/Getty
Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!
Although Meghan and Thomas have been estranged for years, the Duchess of Sussex reached out to her father after learning about his leg amputation. A spokesperson for Meghan previously said she attempted to contact him the same day she learned about his health ordeal.
The Mail on Sunday reported that Thomas said he had not heard from Meghan. After that, a spokesperson for Meghan confirmed that a letter written by her was "safely" in the hands of her father.
Meghan has been estranged from her father since her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry.
Their relationship fractured after Thomas admitted to staging paparazzi photos ahead of the wedding and, according to Meghan, was not truthful with her about his communications with the press. She later spoke about the fallout during her and Harry’s 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, saying at the time, “I’ve lost my father.”
Read the full article here
