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Meghan Markle Warns of Disturbing Allegations Against Father
Confirmed
In Short: The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, has revealed that she was informed about 'disturbing allegations' against her estranged father, Thomas Markle, in 2018.
The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, has revealed that she was informed about 'disturbing allegations' against her estranged father, Thomas Markle, in 2018. In a statement to CBS News, she said she was 'deeply distressed' by reports that her father is under investigation in the Philippines for alleged possession of child abuse materials.
Markle said she received a letter from the Metropolitan Police in 2018 containing allegations against her father, which she was assured were being investigated. She stated that the breadth of the allegations uncovered is 'more sickening than one could ever imagine,' but hopes justice will be served and that the priority remains the safety and protection of innocent children.
Thomas Markle Jr., Markle Sr.'s son, told the newspaper that he found a stash of child sexual abuse images at his father's former home in the Philippines. He reported the discovery to the FBI and other authorities in July.
Markle Jr. said the discovery had left him a 'shaking wreck' and that he would not speak to his father again unless called to give evidence against him. He added that the images were found after turning on an old cell phone at his father's home.
The Philippine Department of Justice is investigating the reports involving an octogenarian American national who left child abuse videos and photos in his home in Cebu province, according to the state-run Philippine News Agency.
Meghan Markle said her decision to keep her father from having contact with her children was solely to protect them. She and her father became estranged in 2018, shortly before her wedding to Prince Harry, after Thomas Markle was found to have staged photographs with paparazzi.
The duchess expressed her hope that the public can now understand her actions were for the protection of her children and not due to media distortion.
The allegations represent a serious new development involving a family already familiar with public controversy, and the duchess's statement underscores the ongoing impact of these events on her and her family.
What's confirmed
- The Duchess of Sussex has said she was informed about "disturbing allegations" about her estranged father in 2018.
- Her comments come after reports that images of child sexual abuse allegedly belonging to her father had been found at his former home in the Philippines, which she said were "deeply" distressing. In an interview with the Daily Mail, Thomas Markle denied possessing child sex images, calling the accusations "sick lies". The duchess said: "I am deeply distressed at the news that has come to light in the last 24 hours, and my thoughts are with any children who may have been harmed."
- This was "to protect them", she said, adding that she had "trusted that the authorities were doing the same for other families".
- The Sun reported that Mr Markle is being investigated over claims that he kept child sexual abuse images at his home.
- “ I hope it can now be understood that, despite certain media publications' distortion over the years, any distance from my father and my choice to not allow him to have contact with our children, was for one reason: to protect them, ” she said.
What's still developing
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- In 2020, lawyers for Meghan accused the The Mail on Sunday newspaper of humiliating her father and said he had missed her wedding because of "public shaming."
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- Markle Sr has been estranged from the duchess since he failed to attend her wedding to Prince Harry on health grounds, and has never met his grandchildren, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five.
- He told the newspaper the computers had not been in his possession since he left Rosarito, Mexico, with his son in January 2025 and moved to the Philippines “for a fresh start”.