Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, said she is “deeply distressed” after reports that authorities in the Philippines are investigating her estranged father, 82-year-old Thomas Markle Sr., over allegations that he possessed child sexual abuse material. In a statement sent to CBS News and other outlets Oct. 23, Meghan said she had been warned about allegations against her father years earlier.
“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.
The Philippine Department of Justice confirmed Oct. 23 that it is looking into reports that an American man in his 80s left child abuse videos and photos behind at his home in Cebu province, according to the state-run Philippine News Agency. Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Ty said the department’s anti-trafficking and online sexual abuse and exploitation of children task force is investigating the matter involving Markle Sr. The Philippine National Police has opened its own investigation as well.
What the Thomas Markle Investigation Involves
British tabloid The Sun first reported Oct. 22 that Markle Sr.’s son, Thomas Markle Jr., went to Philippine authorities after allegedly finding child sexual abuse material among boxes of his father’s belongings at Markle Sr.’s former home in Cebu. Markle Jr. has said he also reported the material to the FBI.
Philippine National Police spokesperson Col. Allen Rae Co told CBS News the items Markle Jr. handed over have been inventoried and are in police custody, and that officers will obtain a warrant before examining any digital devices. U.S. authorities have offered to help if Philippine investigators request it, and the FBI said it is aware of the allegations.
Markle Sr. has since returned to the U.S. and is recovering at a rehabilitation center in Florida, according to the Daily Mail. No charges have been announced.
Markle Sr. denied the allegations to the Daily Mail, calling them “sick lies.” “I have never downloaded anything like that in my life,” he said.
Meghan’s Statement and the 2018 Letter
In her statement, Meghan said her awareness of allegations against her father dates back to 2018. “In 2018, a letter was sent to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection. That letter was subsequently shared with me. It made troubling and disturbing allegations against my father and I was given assurances that these were being investigated,” she said.
That timeline has since shifted. On Oct. 24, the Metropolitan Police said a review of its records showed it received the letter in January 2019 and did not share the allegations with other law enforcement agencies. The force said it is reviewing how it handled the matter, including whether it should be referred to the police watchdog. A spokesperson for Meghan said that if police hold a time-stamped 2019 record, that date should be treated as accurate. The Daily Beast reported that the letter was written by Markle Sr.’s late first wife, Roslyn Loveless.
Meghan also addressed years of public scrutiny over her relationship with her father, saying her decision to keep him away from her children was protective, not personal. “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.
She also spoke directly to the Philippine investigation. “Although the breadth of what has now been uncovered is more sickening than one could ever imagine, my sincerest hope is that justice will be fully served and that the priority remains the safety and protection of innocent children,” Meghan said.
Background on the Family Estrangement
Meghan and her father have been estranged since 2018, a rift that began in the run-up to her wedding to Prince Harry, which Markle Sr. did not attend, and has drawn steady media attention ever since. He has never met the couple’s children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
Meghan and Harry moved back to Britain with their children in late August, a transition covered in Total Apex Entertainment’s report on the couple’s Oct. 15 return to Nottingham for their first joint U.K. appearance since the move.
What’s Next
The Philippine Department of Justice task force and the Philippine National Police are both investigating, and police must secure a warrant before examining the devices in their custody. No timeline for the investigation or any charges has been announced. In London, the Metropolitan Police’s internal review of how it handled the 2019 letter is ongoing.
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