Meghan’s father moved into aged care home for dementia patients

Thomas Markle Snr, the Duchess of Sussex’s father, has been moved to a care facility for those suffering dementia.

The 82-year-old was moved to the home in Florida on Friday, The Sun reports.

However, experts fear the development could hinder an FBI investigation into claims of child sex abuse.

The bureau is investigating after Markle Snr’s son, Thomas Markle Jnr, reported him to authorities after claiming to have found storage boxes containing “hundreds, if not thousands” of child sex abuse images inside his father’s home in the Philippines.

Further images were allegedly discovered inside an abandoned storage unit said to have been rented by Markle Snr in Rosarito, Mexico, during raids on Friday. Markle Snr lived in the area for a decade before moving to the Philippines.

Markle Snr has denied the allegations against him, describing them as “sick lies”.

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He moved back to the US in May and into a rehabilitation centre after having his leg amputated in the Philippines.

However, his diagnosis of dementia − recently revealed by The Sun − could make it difficult for authorities investigating the child abuse claims.

Florida-based lawyer Spencer Kuvin told the publication: “You can’t just barge into a memory care facility and conduct an interview. Any decent lawyer would be able to get that interview struck [off] and the FBI know that.”

He added: “If someone has been diagnosed with dementia or a memory deficit then that prevents them from knowingly waiving their rights.

“There would need to be an independent medical opinion that he is able to be interviewed and there has to be a judge who signs off on the ability for him to speak.”

While the US does have an extradition treaty with the Philippines, US citizens are rarely extradited.

Last week, police in the Philippines searched Markle Snr’s digital devices and hard drives.

The Philippine National Police shared footage of officers searching boxes filled with old VHS tapes and dismantled computers.

Graeme Elmido, the regional prosecutor in Cebu where Markle Snr previously lived, said: “If we find out that your visit in the Philippines is primarily for this reason and we can find evidence against you, you will have to face the full extent of the law.

“Explore our land. Enjoy our people’s hospitality. But don’t do these things. Otherwise, like I said before, you’re a monster. You don’t deserve to be here.”

Last week, London’s Metropolitan Police referred itself to the police watchdog after failing to pass on allegations about Markle Snr to other authorities in 2019.

Police in the UK received a letter − written by Markle Snr’s first wife − detailing the alleged offences, which it then handed to Meghan. But the force did not share the claims with foreign law enforcement agencies.

The Duchess of Sussex was given the letter by one of her royal bodyguards and advised not to go public with the allegations, having been reassured the police would investigate the allegations.