Duchess of Sussex ‘deeply distressed’ as allegations emerge about estranged father

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, says she was informed years ago about “disturbing allegations” about her father, Thomas Markle.

The wife of Prince Harry said she was “deeply distressed” after it emerged that images of child sexual abuse allegedly belonging to Markle were found at his former home in the Philippines.

Meghan said it was why she had kept distance from her father and did “not allow him to have contact with our children”, according to the BBC.

“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,” the American-born duchess said in a statement released to British media.

“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.

“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.

“I trusted that the authorities were doing the same for other families.

Read more

Meghan’s new video reveals duchess’ future focus after UK return

“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.”

It’s not known if the letter was received before or after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s wedding in May 2018, which Thomas Markle was forced to skip, reportedly due to health issues.

The Met Police told nine.com.au they were aware of “reports that officers from the Met’s Royalty and Specialist Protection Command” passed on a letter to the royal in 2018.

“We are undertaking enquiries internally in an effort to confirm this,” they said in a statement.

The Philippines Department of Justice confirmed to multiple media outlets that “the matter is currently being investigated”.

Markle, 82, has denied the allegations in an interview with Daily Mail, labelling the accusations as “sick lies”.

The accusations were made by Markle’s son Thomas Markle Jr, Meghan’s half-brother, who alleges he found the vast stash of child sex images while at his father’s Cebu home.

Markle Jr was reportedly looking for his father’s Filipino girlfriend’s mobile phone in boxes at his father’s home, after his dad rushed back to the US following a stroke in May.

After calling Philippines police to report his find and signing a sworn statement, Markle Jr gave a comment about the incident to UK newspaper The Sun.

“When I found this material I was horrified and I had no option but to report my dad,” he said.

“I have supported, cared for him and helped him for years — but that stops now.

“I won’t speak to my father ever again unless I’m called to give evidence against him.”

It’s also reported that Markle Jr, who has been his father’s carer since a life-threatening stroke in 2022, also told the FBI of his discovery.

Markle Sr, who remains in the US recovering from a leg amputation, also spoke to the press to rebuke his son’s claims.

“I’m shocked, I’m hurt and I’m very upset that my son is making these accusations against me,” the father said.

“I could never do what I’m being accused of. It’s the worst thing anyone could accuse me of.

“It’s just a bunch of lies. It’s sick. I have no idea why Tom is trying to destroy me with these lies.”

Meghan’s half-sister Samantha Markle is defending their father, saying the claims have “no merit” and is accusing her brother of trying to discredit their dad to make money.

“There is no way to prove any of this,” she said to Daily Mail.

“I believe my dad is innocent. He was not in possession of those computers for two years. Who knows who has had access to them?”

The FBI are yet to confirm or comment on the reported probes into Markle Sr.

Fractured family

Meghan’s relationship with her father, a former Hollywood lighting director, was fractured after Markle Sr was spotted posing for paparazzi photos ahead of her wedding to Prince Harry.

Things became worse after her dad made numerous subsequent appearances on television, talking about his daughter.

A letter asking her dad to stop doing these was then leaked to the Mail on Sunday, which printed Meghan’s words, resulting in a court case between the royal and publishers Associated Newspapers Ltd (ANL).

ANL lost the case and was found to have breached the Duchess of Sussex’s privacy by printing excerpts of the handwritten letter.

It’s understood after Markle Sr had his leg amputation and made another public plea that he didn’t want to die before repairing his relationship with Meghan, the duchess again contacted him in letter form.

However, there’s no indication that the relationship between the pair has been repaired.

King Charles walked Meghan down the aisle inside St George’s Chapel in 2018 when Markle Sr could no longer attend the wedding, citing a heart attack and subsequent emergency heart surgery.

Meghan’s relationship with her half-brother and half-sister reportedly soured long before the wedding.

As a result Markle Jr famously wrote an open letter to Prince Harry telling him not to marry his half-sister, while Samantha took Meghan to court for defamation over comments the duchess made about her childhood in the blended family.

The lawsuit was ultimately dismissed by a US judge who said the comments were Meghan’s personal experience.

The trio share a father. Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland married Markle Sr after his split from his first wife, the mother of his two older children, Roslyn Loveless.