Meghan Markle Addresses Father's Image Claims
The Duchess of Sussex details her reaction to new allegations against her father and explains why she stayed silent for eight years.
By Ayanda Boateng ·
A new dispute has erupted over the past of Thomas Markle Sr. The father of the Duchess of Sussex faces serious claims that he possessed child sexual abuse images. His son, Thomas Markle Jr, says he found the digital files in the Philippines. The older Markle denies everything. Now Meghan Markle has broken her silence on the matter.
Meghan stated that she is deeply distressed by the news. She revealed that she learned of the allegations back in 2018. At that time, the Metropolitan Police informed her of the claims. She said she trusted the authorities to handle the investigation. Her statement aims to clarify why she has not spoken up earlier.
The core of the new report comes from a letter sent to the Met in 2018. This letter was addressed to the Royalty and Specialist Protection unit. Sources say the unit passed the document to Meghan shortly after her wedding. She said the letter contained disturbing details about her father. She was assured the matter was under investigation. This explains her previous silence. Speaking publicly then could have jeopardized the process or led to legal action.
Thomas Markle Jr, 60, told detectives in the Philippines about the discovery. He claimed to have found hundreds or even thousands of images. The files were on computers and mobile phones. These devices were stored in four large boxes. The location was the Markle family home in Cebu. Markle Sr lived there until May this year. He returned to the United States after suffering a stroke.
Markle Jr also reached out to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The agency said it will support Philippine authorities. They will investigate any federal violations of US law. Philippine officials have confirmed the case is active. A taskforce in Cebu is handling the human trafficking and child sexual exploitation aspect. Police have secured the father's computer. They are conducting a full digital forensic examination.
Thomas Markle Sr is currently in a rehabilitation center in Florida. He is learning to walk with a prosthetic limb. He had his left leg amputated due to a blood clot. He described himself as shocked and hurt by the news. He called the accusations sick lies. He stated that he could never have done what he is accused of. He noted that the computers were not in his possession since he moved from Mexico to the Philippines in January 2025.
Meghan explained her decision to keep distance from her father. She said she did not let him have contact with her children to protect them. She trusted the police to do the same for other families. She hopes justice will be fully served. She emphasized that children's safety must remain the priority. The Met is making internal inquiries. They are checking if Rasp officers were involved in passing the letter. The force has not previously investigated Markle Sr and is not doing so now.
The family dynamic has been strained for years. Markle Sr and Meghan have been estranged since he missed her wedding to Prince Harry. He cited health reasons for his absence. He has never met his grandchildren, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. His daughter, Samantha Markle, has defended him. She accused her half-brother of making up lies to make money. She pointed out that the father cut off their funds just before the claims surfaced. She also highlighted that the computers were out of his possession for two years, leaving room for tampering.
