A U.S. prosecutor announced on Friday, November 6, that Thomas Markle Sr. was arrested on suspicion of possessing child sexual abuse material. Markle, the 82-year-old father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, was taken into custody at the Maravida Senior Living care home in Lakeland, Florida, where he was recuperating from medical treatment.
The arrest follows international investigations involving authorities in the Philippines, Mexico, and the United States. Last month, Markle’s son, Thomas Markle Jr., reported his father to the FBI and police in the Philippines after handing over images he claimed to find among his father's belongings in Cebu City. Mexican police also reportedly found a separate collection of materials last week during a raid on a storage unit Markle is said to have rented near his former residence in Rosarito, Mexico.
Markle, a retired television lighting and photography director, has denied the allegations, calling them "sick lies" and stating he has never downloaded such imagery. However, Jonvic Remulla, the Philippines' interior secretary, stated on Thursday, November 5, that more than 7,000 photos and one video featuring underage victims were uncovered. Remulla also noted that Thomas Markle Jr. is currently a "person of interest" in the investigation to determine if he had any involvement.
The Duchess of Sussex stated that any distance from her father and the choice to prevent her father from having contact with her children was to protect them. She said she was sent a letter seven years ago that made "troubling and disturbing allegations" about her father. The case also involves the Metropolitan Police in London, as the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating why the force did not share 2018 reports about Markle with other international agencies.
What happens next depends on the unsealing of the U.S. case, which three sources told CBS News is currently under seal. A Department of Justice (DOJ) press conference was scheduled for 11 a.m. ET on Friday, November 6. In the Philippines, authorities stated they would clarify the status of Thomas Markle Jr. within the coming days. No court dates for Markle Sr.'s initial appearance in Florida have been publicly released yet.