Meghan ‘Deeply Distressed’ as Father Faces Child Sexual Abuse Images Probe

LONDON — Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, has said she kept her father away from her children to protect them, as authorities in the Philippines confirmed an investigation into allegations that he possessed child sexual abuse images.

Her father, Thomas Markle Sr., denies the allegations. The investigation follows claims by his son, Thomas Markle Jr., that he discovered suspected abuse material while clearing belongings from his father’s former home in Cebu.

In a statement issued on Friday, 23 October, Meghan also disclosed that a letter containing allegations against her father had been sent to London’s Metropolitan Police in 2018 and subsequently shared with her. She said she had received assurances that those allegations were being investigated.

“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,” she said.

Her statement followed reporting by The Sun, which published her half-brother’s account of the alleged discovery. It also offered her explanation for a family estrangement that has generated years of newspaper coverage and public criticism.

Philippine Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Ty told Reuters on Friday that a specialist task force in Cebu responsible for investigating trafficking and online sexual abuse and exploitation of children was examining the matter.

Interior Minister Jonvic Remulla separately told Reuters that Markle’s son had provided police with material supporting his allegations, including a laptop. Remulla said the elder Markle was believed to have returned to the United States.

The Philippine Justice Department’s child abuse unit also confirmed to CNN that the matter was under investigation. No charges have been reported.

Thomas Markle Jr. told The Sun that he found the suspected material among belongings at the Cebu property. He said he reported the discovery to authorities in the Philippines and contacted US law enforcement agencies.

The younger Markle, who had helped care for his father, told the newspaper that he would no longer maintain their relationship and would speak against him if required to give evidence. His allegations prompted the latest scrutiny of the retired television lighting and photography director.

Thomas Markle Sr., 82, rejected his son’s account in comments to the Daily Mail.

“I could never do what I’m being accused of,” he said, according to the interview cited by CNN.

He also disputed the suggestion that the computers had remained in his possession, saying he had not had them since leaving Mexico with his son in 2025. His daughter Samantha Markle challenged the allegations as well, telling the Mail that they were untrue and had been fabricated by her brother.

Meghan’s disclosure about the 2018 letter introduced an earlier episode into the public account of the family’s breakdown.

She said the letter had been sent to the Metropolitan Police and its Royalty and Specialist Protection unit before being shared with her. She did not identify its author or set out the specific allegations it contained.

“It made troubling and disturbing allegations against my father and I was given assurances that these were being investigated,” she said.

She then directly linked her decision to prevent contact between her father and her children to concerns for their safety.

“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.”

The precise nature of the allegations in the 2018 letter remains unclear. Meghan’s statement did not explain what investigators subsequently established or whether those earlier claims concerned the material now being examined in the Philippines. CNN likewise reported that the specific allegations she was referring to were not known.

British police had not immediately responded to Reuters’ request for comment. The FBI also had not immediately responded to the agency’s questions about the younger Markle’s reported contact with US authorities.

Asked whether King Charles knew about the letter, Buckingham Palace declined to comment, telling People that the matter was for the Sussexes.

Meghan, an American former actor known for her role in the television drama Suits, married Prince Harry at Windsor Castle in 2018. Her father did not attend the wedding, and their relationship became a recurring subject of British media coverage.

The couple have two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. In Friday’s statement, Meghan challenged coverage that had presented her distance from her father as a rejection associated with her entry into the royal family. She said the decision had been driven by protecting her children.

Her comments came as investigators in Cebu began publicly acknowledging their examination of the allegations, while her father continued to deny them. Meghan ended her statement by expressing concern for children who might have been harmed and calling for their protection to remain the priority.

“My sincerest hope is that justice will be fully served and that the priority remains the safety and protection of innocent children,” she said.