Thomas Markle marked his 81st birthday on Friday, a milestone overshadowed by the continuing estrangement from his daughter, the Duchess of Sussex.
The former lighting director has spent another year without contact from Meghan or the opportunity to meet his grandchildren.
According to the Express, the day was "full of mixed emotions" for Thomas, who has made numerous public attempts to reconnect with his daughter over the years.
The father-of-three celebrated his 81st birthday just days after Meghan shared a cryptic post on Instagram.
ITV / Netflix
|Thomas Markle celebrates birthday just days after Meghan's cryptic post.
The Duchess, 43, wrote: "Sending birthday love (both near and far) to my ladies," alongside a heart emoji.
The caption accompanied a video of Meghan preparing gift baskets with As Ever rosé wine.
At the time, it was unclear exactly who she was sending the beverages to, but many speculated the message was intended for Queen Camilla, who was marking her 78th birthday the following day.
However, it turned out the wine was gifted to Meghan's friends, Heather Dorak and Jamie Kern Lima, who confirmed as such on social media.
Instagram / @meghan
|Meghan revealed she was sending rosé wine to people she knew on their birthday
The relationship between Thomas and Meghan remains severed, with no communication between them.
He has never met Prince Archie, six, or Princess Lilibet, four, his only grandchildren from his youngest daughter.
The breakdown in their relationship began when Thomas posed for paparazzi photographs ahead of Meghan's wedding to Prince Harry in May 2018.
The staged photos, which showed him being measured for a suit and reading about Britain online, caused significant embarrassment for the Royal Family.
Instagram | Meghan Markle's friends, Heather Dorak and Jamie Kern Lima, revealed they received the birthday wine.His situation worsened dramatically when he suffered two heart attacks shortly before the ceremony.
The medical emergency meant he was unable to travel to Windsor Castle to walk his daughter down the aisle at St George's Chapel.
Meghan and Harry are understood to not have communicated with Thomas directly since 2018.
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GB News | Thomas Markle previously revealed his last meeting with Meghan was over Thanksgiving dinner in 2017
The current state of affairs remains unchanged, with Thomas having no relationship with his daughter or her family.
He has been excluded from all significant moments in his grandchildren's lives, missing their births, christenings and birthdays.
Prince Archie is now six years old and Princess Lilibet is four, yet they have never met their maternal grandfather.