The father of Meghan Markle, Prince Harry's wife, was arrested in the US state of Florida on charges of possessing child pornography at his former residence in the Philippines, according to British and American media reports.
The Daily Mail and New York Post reported that agents from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrested Thomas Markle (82 years old) while he was in the nursing home where he resides in Florida.
Mexican authorities raided a warehouse rented by Thomas Markle as part of an investigation into the possession of pornographic materials involving the sexual exploitation of children.
Last week, Philippine police found “a large amount of child pornography” in Markle’s former residence, according to what the authorities announced.
Philippine Interior Minister Juanito Victor Remola explained that investigations have so far resulted in the seizure of about 7,500 photos and video clips that include scenes suspected of documenting sexual abuse of male and female children.
He added that the children appearing in the confiscated materials belong to countries in Asia, Latin America and Europe, according to what was reported by the German magazine "Der Spiegel" website.
Thomas Markle moved from Mexico to Cebu, the Philippines, in 2025, before his announced return to the United States at the beginning of this year. He denies all the accusations against him.
The Sun newspaper reported in October that Thomas Markle's son found a collection of child sexual exploitation images inside boxes at his father's former residence in the Philippines.
20 years behind bars!
According to the indictment, at least two photos show a man accompanied by naked girls who have not yet reached puberty. A witness identified this man as Thomas Markle, according to what the German newspaper Frankfurt Allgemeine reported.
Another photo shows Markle with a naked child in a hotel room in the Philippines, according to the same source.
“The charges are very serious,” said Assistant Federal Prosecutor Bill Essay. “We will pursue Mr. Markle with all procedures and penalties permitted by US federal laws.” If convicted, Markle could face up to 20 years in prison.
Megan is "shocked"
In response, his daughter Megan expressed her “deep shock” at the accusations directed against her father in the press, and revealed that communication with him had been cut off for years.
The Duchess of Sussex said earlier that she learned in 2018 of the existence of a letter sent to the unit responsible for protecting members of the royal family in the London Police, which included “disturbing and disturbing allegations” related to her father, which prompted her to move away from him to “protect” her two children.
The Sun newspaper, citing sources close to Meghan, reported that she informed her father in a letter that he would never be able to recognize his grandchildren, Archie and Lilibet, who are currently 7 and 5 years old.
It is noteworthy that the relationship between Meghan and her father had been tense for a long time, as Thomas Markle did not attend his daughter’s wedding in Britain in 2018, according to “Der Spiegel” magazine.
