Meghan Markle 'is planning to fly to the US and reunite with her estranged father Thomas in secret within weeks' for the pair's first meeting since he missed her wedding

• Thomas Markle Snr is said to be keeping 'two dates free' at the end of this month
• Meghan is planning to take a solo trip home to the US to see her estranged father
• Their meeting would be the first time that Meghan has seen her father this year
• Mr Markle pulled out of wedding to Prince Harry in May citing health concerns

Meghan Markle and her father are planning to reunite in secret in the US later this month, friends of the Duchess of Sussex have claimed.

Prince Harry's wife will take a solo trip home to America to see her estranged father Thomas Markle, according to the Mirror.

The 74-year-old former lighting director is said to be 'delighted' about the potential visit from Meghan, and is 'keeping two dates free at the end of the month'. 

The meeting would be the first time the former actress has seen her reclusive father in several months after he pulled out of her wedding in May, citing health concerns.

Meghan Markle is planning a secret reunion with her estranged father in the US later this month, according to a source

The pair have not seen each other in several months after the 74-year-old pulled out of Meghan's wedding to Prince Harry in May. Pictured: Meghan celebrates her 37th birthday on Saturday at a friend's wedding (left), Thomas speaks about the devastating rift in June (right)

Thomas reportedly suffered a heart attack after selling staged paparazzi photos to the media ahead of the nuptials. 

Meghan's friends have said the reunion could mark the end of a devastating rift in the Markle family.  

Earlier this week an insider claimed Meghan is 'deeply hurt' by what has happened with her relationship with her father, calling it an 'increasingly desperate situation'.

Thomas has repeatedly complained about being 'cut off' by his daughter in media interviews - vowing that he won't stop speaking to the press until she agrees to get back on speaking terms. 

Mr Markle pulled out on the Monday before the wedding in May saying he didn't want to further embarrass his daughter after The Mail On Sunday revealed he had staged paparazzi photos for money.

He staged the paparazzi pictures in an attempt to change his image after being photographed with beer and fast food; a plot that backfired spectacularly when the MoS exposed the snaps as fake six days before the wedding.

In the posed pictures, he was shown using an exercise bike, a rusty contraption sitting forlornly in the garden where he conducts this interview.

He was also shown exercising with weights and reading about Harry and Meghan in an internet cafe.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended a wedding in Surrey in the UK on Saturday

But CCTV images obtained by the MoS revealed British paparazzi photographer Jeff Rayner accompanying him into the cafe to set up the shots.

In the days before the wedding, it seemed he had backtracked on his decision to stay away after the bride-to-be reportedly pleaded with him to come to England for the big day.

But then he said he suffered a heart attack and went to hospital, forcing him to admit he would stay in Mexico. 

With Mr Markle recovering from surgery to fit a heart stent, Kensington Palace announced that Prince Charles would walk Meghan to the altar. 

The retired TV lighting director confessed he had cried as he watched the royal ceremony on television, describing his daughter as 'beautiful'.

Meghan Markle's half-sister Samantha wished the duchess a happy birthday just before midnight Friday - alongside a reminder to send a belated birthday card to their father

A month after the wedding, Mr Markle gave a TV interview with Good Morning Britain and leaked details of his private conversations with Harry and Meghan, including their desire to have children and Harry's views on President Trump. 

Last week, he told the Mail on Sunday that his daughter was ignoring him and has changed all her numbers since marrying Harry.

The newly-minted royal celebrated her 37th birthday on Saturday August 4 - her first since tying the knot to Prince Harry in May.

Meghan's notoriously outspoken half-sister Samantha Markle sent her regards on Twitter just a few minutes before midnight in the UK, writing: 'Happy Birthday Meg! 

'It would be so lovely and appropriate of you to send DAD a BELATED birthday card for his July 18th [cake emoji] @KensingtonRoyal Cheers!'