Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, issued a statement on Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, saying she was "deeply distressed" by reports of a law enforcement investigation into her estranged father, Thomas Markle Sr. The Duchess said she was first informed by London’s Metropolitan Police in the summer of 2018 about "disturbing allegations" involving her father and has maintained distance from him to protect her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
The investigation follows claims made by Thomas Markle Jr., the Duchess's half-brother, who told The Sun he discovered "hundreds, if not thousands" of child sexual abuse images and videos at his father's former residence in the Philippines. Markle Jr. reported his findings to the FBI and Philippine authorities in July. The FBI confirmed awareness of the allegations, and Philippine Interior Minister Jonvic Remulla stated that national police had secured Thomas Markle Sr.’s computer for forensic examination.
In a letter delivered to her father in December 2025 while he was hospitalized following a leg amputation, the Duchess reportedly wrote that she and authorities "knew he had abused young girls." The letter, which was captured in video obtained by the Daily Mail, stated that he would never meet his grandchildren. Thomas Markle Sr., 82, has denied the allegations of possessing illegal materials, calling them "sick lies," though he acknowledged in a Sunday interview that he had paid for sex in the Philippines.
London’s Metropolitan Police confirmed they received a letter regarding Markle Sr. in 2019 and shared its contents with the Duchess at that time, though they did not pass the information to other agencies. The Met is now conducting an internal review of its handling of the matter. A source close to the Duchess told NBC News that she did not speak publicly about the claims in 2018 to avoid jeopardizing investigations or exposing herself to civil action for unsubstantiated claims.
The disclosure provides a specific explanation for the eight-year estrangement between the Duchess and her father, which she attributed to the "protection of innocent children." For the public, this clarifies that the family separation was based on 2018 police briefings regarding sexual abuse allegations rather than previously reported interpersonal disputes. The situation also places scrutiny on the Metropolitan Police’s Royalty and Specialist Protection Command for its decision to share information with the royal family in 2018 while not notifying other law enforcement agencies.
The investigation is ongoing, with Philippine authorities performing digital forensics on computer equipment seized from Markle Sr.'s former home. Thomas Markle Jr. has stated he is prepared to give evidence against his father if called upon. The Metropolitan Police have stated they are not currently investigating Markle Sr. themselves but are reviewing their prior internal communications. No trial dates or formal charges have been reported at this time.