Meghan Markle is hoping to be able to get a handwritten note to her father, Thomas Markle, following his emergency surgery to amputate his left leg.

A spokesperson for the Duchess of Sussex, 44 — who has been estranged from Thomas, 81, since 2018 — told PEOPLE on Friday, Dec. 5, that Meghan had “reached out to her father” after the procedure on Dec. 3.

PEOPLE understands that Meghan emailed Thomas late Friday morning after learning he had undergone the procedure in the Philippines. The outreach was not initially disclosed publicly in an effort to keep the matter private.

This came after The Mail on Sunday reported on Dec. 6 that Thomas was “confused” by the statement suggesting Meghan had tried to get in touch and claimed he had not heard from his daughter.

A source then told U.K. newspaper The Times on Dec. 8 that Meghan was now intending to have a handwritten note delivered to her father in the next 24 hours at his hospital in Cebu, where he’s expected to spend the next week.

Meghan Markle.Craig Barritt/Getty

A source close to Meghan told the outlet, “There’s been progress, but she hasn’t made contact [yet] … It’s hoped and expected that there will be some form of communication in the next 24 hours.”

A spokesperson for the Duchess of Sussex did not immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE.

PEOPLE previously reported that it’s understood Meghan had personally called several hospitals in an effort to locate her father, but was having difficulty confirming where he was being treated.

Identifying the hospital would allow for a hand-delivered note to be delivered, given that Thomas is not currently in possession of his phone, according to the journalist in contact with him, and the Duchess of Sussex does not have a working phone number for him.

Thomas Markle is pictured in March 2024.Dsanchez/CPR / BACKGRID

PEOPLE understands that Meghan’s team has sought clarification from those close to Thomas regarding the best way of contacting him as he recovers.

As previously reported by PEOPLE, it’s thought that the email Meghan previously sent did not generate an error or bounce-back notification, and efforts to obtain updated contact information for Thomas are ongoing.

Meghan Markle.Jemal Countess/Getty

Thomas’ son, Thomas Markle Jr., revealed last week that his father had undergone surgery to have his leg amputated below the knee in the Philippines — where the pair have been living since earlier this year — after a blood clot reportedly cut off circulation, per the Daily Mail.

In an interview with the outlet, Thomas Markle Jr. described the emergency procedure as “life or death,” saying his father’s foot had turned “blue then black” before doctors determined amputation was necessary

Thomas’ operation follows several years of reported medical challenges, including a stroke in 2022.

Meghan has been estranged from her father since shortly before her May 2018 wedding to Prince Harry. The rift began after Thomas admitted to staging paparazzi photos and, according to Meghan, was not truthful with her about his communications with the press.

Thomas Markle is pictured in March 2023.LionsShareNews / BACKGRID

The Duchess of Sussex discussed her relationship with her estranged father during her and Harry’s much-talked-about 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Insisting she felt the relationship had been irrevocably damaged, Meghan said at the time, “I’ve lost my father.”

In the couple’s Harry & Meghan Netflix docuseries the following year, Harry said he “shouldered” some of the blame for the fallout. “She had a father before this and now she doesn’t have a father,” he said, adding, “If Meg wasn’t with me, then her dad would still be her dad.”