Meghan, Duchess of Sussex's estranged father Thomas Markle lost his left leg below the knee during emergency surgery to treat a blood clot.

The 81-year-old underwent a three-hour operation in Cebu, Philippines, on Wednesday to remove his left foot and lower leg after the blood clot cut off the circulation and his foot "turned blue and then black", according to his son Thomas Jr.

"My dad is being very brave," he told the Daily Mail. "It happened very quickly. I took him to a local hospital and they did some scans and an ultrasound and said the leg had to be amputated."

Thomas Jr., who is his father's primary caregiver, explained that he was rushed to a bigger hospital in Cebu via ambulance and the doctors immediately took him into surgery to remove the limb.

"There was no option. I was told the leg had to be removed and it was a case of life or death," he added. "It was either 'we have to operate now and remove the leg or he may die'... It was a life-threatening situation."

Markle is in a stable condition in intensive care, and he will be monitored closely by doctors who are "extremely concerned" about potential infections. He will also need another operation to remove a blood clot in his left thigh.

"Dad has a long road ahead. This was a major operation but he needed it to save his life," Meghan's half-brother stated. "I would ask everyone to keep him in their thoughts. He is a brave and tough man. I would appeal to Meghan to show him compassion at this very difficult time."

The retired lighting director has been estranged from his daughter since she got married to Prince Harry in 2018, and has never met their children, Archie, six, and Lilibet, four.

Markle, who shares Meghan with his ex-wife Doria Ragland, has suffered a series of health setbacks in recent years. He had two heart attacks in May 2018, just before the wedding, and a stroke in 2022.

He moved to the Philippines earlier this year.