Meghan Markle ‘Deeply Distressed’ by Child Abuse Allegations Against Father Thomas Markle

Meghan Expresses Distress Over Allegations Against Father Thomas Markle

Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, announced she is deeply distressed by reports alleging her estranged father, Thomas Markle Sr., possessed child sexual abuse images, revealing that London’s Metropolitan Police informed her of troubling allegations against him in 2018. The statement followed an investigative report published by The Sun regarding a police investigation centered in the Philippines.

Through a spokesperson, Meghan addressed the disclosures, stating that her thoughts are with any children who may have been harmed. She explained that distance from her father and her choice to deny him contact with her children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, was implemented specifically to protect them, NBC News reported. Thomas Markle Sr. has vehemently denied possessing any such images, characterizing the accusations as sick lies during an interview with the Daily Mail.

Investigation Details Emerge From the Philippines and the United Kingdom

The allegations surfaced after Thomas Markle Jr. told detectives in the Philippines that he discovered hundreds of child sexual abuse images on electronic storage media inside four large boxes at his father’s former home in Cebu. Thomas Markle Jr., 60, said he had also contacted the FBI in the US, the Sun reported. The Philippines state-run Philippine News Agency confirmed that the Department of Justice was investigating reports involving an octogenarian American national in Cebu province.

Meghan stated that in 2018, a letter containing troubling and disturbing allegations against her father was sent to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection, which was subsequently shared with her by the protective unit. She noted that she was given assurances at the time that authorities were actively investigating the matter, NBC News reported. Her spokesperson clarified to NBC News that she was made aware of the letter during the summer of 2018, shortly after her wedding to Prince Harry.

Thomas Markle Sr. Denies Accusations From Rehabilitation Center in Florida

Speaking from a rehabilitation center in Florida where he is recovering from surgery and learning to walk with a prosthetic limb following the amputation of his left leg due to a blood clot, Thomas Markle Sr. dismissed the claims. He told the Daily Mail that he was shocked, hurt, and very upset by the accusations made by his son, asserting that the computers in question had not been in his possession since he left Rosarito, Mexico, in January 2025 and relocated to the Philippines for a fresh start.

Thomas Markle Jr. maintained that he felt betrayed and disgusted upon discovering the files, stating that he realized he had no option but to report the material to law enforcement to avoid legal liability. Meanwhile, representatives for both London’s Metropolitan Police and police in Cebu City did not immediately respond to requests for comment from NBC News regarding the status of the ongoing investigation.

More on this story: Thomas Markle Sr. Investigated Over Child Abuse Images: Page Six

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