Meghan Markle's Father Thomas Markle Arrested in Florida
US media report that Thomas Markle Sr, father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, was arrested near Tampa, Florida, on Friday. The arrest follows a Philippine and US investigation into alleged child sexual abuse material.
Thomas Markle Sr, the 82-year-old estranged father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, was arrested near Tampa, Florida, on Friday morning, US media have reported. The Associated Press news agency backed up the initial reports. The specific federal charges and other details of the arrest have not yet been made public.
The arrest follows an investigation that began when his son, Thomas Markle Jr, reportedly found boxes containing hundreds or possibly thousands of images at his father's former home in Cebu City, the Philippines. He alerted Philippine police and contacted the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and authorities in both countries began examining the allegations.
What investigators have found
Philippine authorities say they recovered about 7,500 photographs and one video depicting underage children from electronic devices. Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said some of the children appeared to be as young as 10 or 11. An initial forensic examination by police identified suspected child sexual abuse material on several storage devices. Investigators stress that the findings do not yet establish who owned, produced or distributed the material. The FBI is cooperating with Philippine officials to determine who owned the devices and whether others were involved. A separate cache of material allegedly linked to Markle is also being examined in Mexico.
Markle Sr has previously denied possessing child sexual abuse images and rejected the allegations.
Meghan's statement and her half-brother
Meghan said she was "deeply distressed" by the reports and voiced concern for any children who may have been harmed. She said a letter containing "troubling and disturbing allegations" about her father was sent to London's Metropolitan Police in 2018 and later shared with her, and that she had been assured the allegations were being investigated. She added that her decision to keep her father from contact with her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, was meant to protect them.
On Thursday, Philippine authorities named Thomas Markle Jr, 60, a person of interest. Remulla said investigators were examining information suggesting underage girls may have visited his home in Cebu, but stressed he is not being treated as a suspect. His possible involvement is being investigated separately.
Markle Sr returned to the United States earlier this year after suffering a stroke and having his left leg amputated while living in the Philippines. His relationship with Meghan deteriorated before her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry.
