Thomas Markle rushed to hospital after suffering a stroke | Entertainment

Thomas Markle has been rushed to hospital after suffering a stroke.

The 77-year-old TV lighting director – who is the father of the Duchess of Sussex – is currently receiving urgent medical treatment at a hospital in the US.

Samantha Markle, his daughter, told MailOnline: “My father is recovering in hospital. We ask for privacy for the family, for his health and well-being. He just needs peace and rest. Godspeed. We are praying. He just needs some rest.”

Thomas was poised to fly to the UK later this week, as he planned to be in London for Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

However, he will now be unable to make the trip and will instead continue his recovery in hospital.

Thomas was initially treated at a hospital in Mexico, but he’s now recovering at a medical center in Chula Vista, California.

A source told The Sun: “He went to hospital in Mexico where he lives and they later moved him via ambulance across the border to a hospital in San Diego on a gurney and with an oxygen mask.

“His son Thomas Jr was already with him in Rosarito and is in San Diego now.

“His daughter Samantha is flying in from Florida to be with him too.”

Meanwhile, Thomas recently revealed he was looking forward to travelling to England and meeting members of the royal family.

Thomas didn’t attend his daughter’s wedding to Prince Harry in 2018, as he was recovering from heart surgery – but he was keen to thank Prince Charles for walking her down the aisle.

He said: “I’m going to show my respect for the Queen and I’m going to make sure that the Queen understands that my entire family respects the Queen and the royals.

“We admire them and we want them to know that’s how we feel about them and that’s how we feel about England.

“I would like to meet with Prince Charles and thank him for walking my daughter down the aisle, and also to meet and talk with him because I think we have a lot in common now.”