The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, has revealed that she was informed of disturbing allegations against her estranged father, Thomas Markle, in 2018, after a letter containing the claims was sent to British authorities.
Meghan said the letter was sent to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection before being shared with her. She said she was assured that the allegations were being investigated.
Her disclosure comes after reports that images of child sexual abuse were allegedly discovered among her father’s belongings at his former home in Cebu, Philippines. Thomas Markle has denied possessing the material, describing the accusations as “sick lies” in an interview with the Daily Mail.
“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,” Meghan said.
The duchess said her decision to remain estranged from her father and prevent him from having contact with her children was intended to protect them.
“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 added that she had trusted the authorities to protect other families while investigating the earlier allegations.
Meghan also expressed hope that the latest developments would lead to justice and that the safety of children would remain the priority.
Her father’s reported investigation followed claims by her half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr., that he discovered hundreds or potentially thousands of images and videos depicting children in sexual situations among belongings stored at their former family home in the Philippines.
According to reports, Thomas Markle Jr. alerted authorities after the alleged discovery and submitted a statement to Philippine investigators. The reported material is expected to undergo forensic examination as part of the investigation.
However, the allegations remain unproven. Meghan’s half-sister, Samantha Markle, has also disputed the accusations, questioning whether the devices containing the alleged material could have been accessed by other people while in storage.
Thomas Markle, who has been estranged from Meghan since 2018, did not attend her wedding to Prince Harry in May that year after a controversy involving staged paparazzi photographs and subsequent health problems.
The latest revelations have brought renewed attention to the breakdown of their relationship, which Meghan has now linked to concerns about protecting her children.
She concluded by describing the allegations as deeply disturbing and expressing hope that justice would be served.
“My sincerest hope is that justice will be fully served and that the priority remains the safety and protection of innocent children,” she said.
