Meghan’s 81-year-old father, Michael Markle, recently underwent emergency surgery – his leg was amputated, and he is now in the intensive care unit.

I took my dad to a hospital near our home, where they did several tests, and the doctors said his life was in danger. They took us in an ambulance with sirens blaring to a larger hospital in the city center. My father underwent emergency surgery. I ask everyone in the world to remember him, Thomas Jr., his son, shared with the media.

And his words seemed to touch not only those who closely follow the relationships in the Mark family, but also Meghan herself. As it turned out, last Friday, two days after Thomas was hospitalized, Meghan contacted her father. This was confirmed to PEOPLE by a representative for the Duchess of Sussex. What the father and daughter talked about and how long the conversation lasted is not specified.

As a reminder, Meghan became estranged from her father after her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018. The reason for this was a paparazzi photo shoot on the eve of the celebration, organized by him for a British tabloid.