Thomas Markle Sr. under Philippine investigation after son reports child‑abuse images; Meghan Markle says she is distressed

Thomas Markle Sr., the estranged father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, is the subject of a police investigation in the Philippines after his half‑brother Thomas Jr. reported finding boxes of alleged child sexual‑abuse images at the elder Markle’s home in Cebu. Philippine authorities, including the Department of Justice’s anti‑trafficking and online sexual abuse task force, are probing the material and have begun confiscating the boxes.

Meghan Markle has said she is deeply distressed by the revelations and said the 2018 letter she received about the allegations clarified her decision to keep her father away from her children. The London Metropolitan Police have confirmed receipt of a 2019 letter that detailed accusations against Thomas Markle and are conducting an internal review of how the matter was handled. Thomas Jr. has publicly challenged his father’s denial of involvement, describing the allegations as “incredible.”