Thomas Markle has found love with a Filipina nurse 35 years his junior.

The 81-year-old retired lighting director - who has been estranged from his daughter Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, since she married Prince Harry in 2018 - feels "blessed and beyond happy" after meeting Rio Canedo, 46, at the rehab clinic she works at in Cebu, Philippines, where he checked in to help with his recovery last December after having his lower left leg amputated.

He gushed to the Mail on Sunday newspaper: "I never expected to find joy and happiness again at my age. I felt neglected and sad for so many years but now I am enjoying life again.

"After so many tough times I feel truly blessed to have found someone very special who takes such good care of me."

Thomas expects there will be a backlash to his new romance but he doesn't care.

He added: "I know some people will say hurtful things but I don't care.

"I want to talk about this because I never thought I would ever be happy again.

"I want people to know you're never too old to find peace and love.

"There's a lot of negative things going on in the world and if my story can give a little hope to one person then I'm happy.

"The haters will hate but, to be honest, I don't give a damn. Life is for living. There's nothing more important in life than love."

Thomas moved to the Philippines last year to escape the constant reminders of Meghan and her children Prince Archie, six, and four-year-old Princess Lilibet, who he has never met, and he loves the "gentler" pace of life he's found there.

He said: "After my stroke things were not great. I wanted to go to the other side of the world to a place where the people are kind.

"The Philippines have a gentler way of life. I never expected to meet Rio and have my life changed in such a wonderful way."

Rio, who has a 16-year-old son and a 22-year-old daughter, has put Thomas on a strict no sugar diet and he's lost a lot of weight, and he is very happy with the way she cares for him.

He said: "I finally feel safe and well-cared for.

"I've got pneumonia but I'm not feeling sorry for myself because I have Rio taking such good care of me.

"I hardly watch the news. I live in a world where people are kind to each other. The nurses and doctors here in the Philippines are wonderful.

"People here don't have all the worldly goods we have in the West but they respect and care for older people.

"There are young trainee nurses here who we call the 'munchkins' and all I hear all day long are peels of laughter.

"I was sad about Meghan for so long but now I finally feel like I can laugh again. Life is good."

Both of Thomas' older children, son Thomas Jr., who lives nearby and Flordia-based daughter Samantha - who he has with first wife Roslyn Loveless - approve of his new relationship and he has stopped looking for Meghan's approval.

He said: "Yes, family is important, but how long can you live in pain? Sometimes you have to move on. I have moved on."

Thomas is keen to take Rio to America once he is feeling fitter.

He said: "What happened with Rio happened naturally. We got close and she ended up moving in with me.

"It's a relationship I treasure. She makes me very happy and takes very good care of me.

"I hope I make her happy too.

"I would love to take Rio to Los Angeles and show her all the places in Hollywood where I worked for so many years."

However, he won't be attempting to visit Meghan and her family.

Asked if he'd drive to Montecito, where she and Harry live, he laughed: "No, I would never do that. What's the point?

"I'd love to see my grandkids. It makes me sad that King Charles has only met Archie and Lilibet once or twice.

"How strange it is that me, over here in my little world, and him, the King of England, are both in the same boat. We both can't see our grandkids.

"I love Meghan. She is my daughter. But I don't know how much time I have left and I want to spent what time I have being happy. Rio makes me happy."