Philippine minister: signs suggest Thomas Markle Sr may be a grave sex offender

The Philippine interior minister, Jonvic Remulla, has told the Guardian that all signs point to Thomas Markle Sr, the estranged father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, being a "possible sex offender of the grossest kind". He stressed, however, that only a full forensic investigation will give a definitive picture. Authorities in the Philippines are analysing digital images allegedly belonging to Markle that were reportedly found at his former home in Cebu.

How the investigation began

Last week Meghan's half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr, 60, reported to authorities that he had apparently found a stash of child sexual abuse images. The Sun reported that he told Philippine detectives he had discovered "hundreds, if not thousands" of images on computers and mobile phones kept in four large boxes at the house, and that he had also contacted the FBI in the US.

Remulla said that where family disputes are mixed up in a case, all angles must be considered. The forensic data should be complete within a week, after which a statement will be released. The Philippine national police inspected the former home and, according to Remulla, found child pornography materials and a laptop. They will decide whether there is enough evidence to charge Markle.

Markle's response

Markle Sr, who lived at the house until returning to the US earlier this year, denies the allegations. He told the Daily Mail they were "sick lies" and said the computers had not been in his possession since he left Mexico with his son in 2025 and moved to the Philippines.

Statements from Meghan and the Met

Meghan said she is deeply distressed and that she cut contact with her father to protect her children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five. He has never met them.

London's Metropolitan Police confirmed that in January 2019 it received a letter containing claims of alleged offending outside the UK and passed it to the Sussexes' office, without sharing the details with other law enforcement agencies. The force is considering whether to refer itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). Meghan later clarified that the letter arrived in 2019, not 2018 as she had first said.