Meghan Markle’s dad, Thomas, has been left unable to speak in hospital after suffering a stroke.

Meghan has been estranged from her father since he was found to be staging paparazzi photographs ahead of her wedding to Prince Harry.

The 77-year-old had been planning to fly to the UK in June for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, with hopes to meet members of the royal family and his grandchildren for the first time.

Karl Larsen, who works with Thomas Sr on their Remarkable Friendship podcast, said: “Thomas Sr thought he had a stroke and was taken to hospital.

“He wrote it on a piece of paper because he can’t speak right now. He lost his voice, I don’t know why, so he had to write it down and he gave it to someone who he was with.”

He added: “He was just barely present enough to write on a piece of paper. He is in a hospital in the Chula Vista area of San Diego. I’m here waiting to see him. I don’t know how serious it is yet.

“We were due to leave for London to be there for the Jubilee on Monday. Now it’s all up in the air, I don’t know what will happen. I can’t possibly see how that would still be on. I was with Thomas when something very similar happened four years ago before Harry and Meghan’s wedding.”