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Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, said Friday she was “deeply distressed” by a report that her father, Thomas Markle Sr., had a large collection of images depicting child sexual abuse. She said she had been informed of “disturbing allegations” against him in 2018, CNN World reported.
Britain’s “The Sun” reported late Thursday that Thomas Markle Jr. said he had found indecent images of underage children at his father’s home in the Philippines and reported the discovery to authorities there.
In an interview with “The Sun,” Markle Jr. said he was horrified by what he found and felt he had no choice but to report his father. The newspaper said he told Philippine officials the collection included “hundreds, if not thousands” of images, found in storage boxes and computer hard drives.
The Philippines Justice Department’s child abuse unit told CNN on Friday that the matter was “under investigation.”
In a statement, Meghan said her thoughts were with any children who may have been harmed.
Thomas Markle Sr. denies allegations
Thomas Markle Sr. has strongly denied the claims. He told Britain’s “Daily Mail” they were “a bunch of lies” and said the computers had not been in his possession since he left Mexico with his son in 2025.
“I’m shocked, I’m hurt and I’m very upset that my son is making these accusations against me. I could never do what I’m being accused of,” Markle Sr. told the newspaper, which said it spoke to him at a rehabilitation centre in Florida. The paper reported he was learning to walk with a prosthetic limb after his leg was amputated last year because of a blood clot.
His other daughter, Samantha Markle, told the “Daily Mail” that the allegations were untrue and that her brother had made them up.
Meghan says she was told of allegations in 2018
Meghan said a letter containing allegations against her father, from whom she is estranged, was sent in 2018 to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection and was later shared with her. She said she had been assured the claims were being investigated. It is not clear which specific allegations in the letter she was referring to.
Meghan said her distance from her father, and her decision not to allow him contact with her children, was “for one reason: to protect them.” She said she had trusted authorities to protect other families as well.
She added that she hoped justice would be served and that the safety and protection of children would remain the priority.
CNN said it was attempting to contact Thomas Markle Sr., Thomas Markle Jr. and Samantha Markle. It had also sought comment from the Metropolitan Police and the FBI.
