Ankle bracelet cut off – Meghan's father now has to go to prison

Duchess Meghan's father, Thomas Markle, cut off his electronic ankle bracelet while under house arrest and was arrested again. The 82-year-old had the monitoring device cut off at 1:45 a.m. local time in the retirement facility in Florida where he currently lives, said Assistant Federal Prosecutor in California Bill Essayli.

At a subsequent court hearing, it was decided that Markle would now have to be held in custody without the prospect of being released on bail again, the US Department of Justice said.

Markle was arrested on Friday and charged with alleged possession of child pornography. At a first court appearance in the city of Tampa, Florida, it was decided that Markle could return to the retirement home where he currently lives. There he should be under house arrest and monitored electronically. The indictment was scheduled to be read at a later date in California. Markle initially did not comment on the allegations in court.

Previously, two storage units in the Los Angeles area that Markle had rented for almost two decades were examined. During the search of these storage rooms, 78 items were discovered and taken into custody, including images and books related to allegedly abused minors. Incriminating material had previously surfaced in the Philippines.

Meghan (45) was “deeply dismayed” after the reports became known. Prince Harry's wife said at the end of October that she had already been informed by British security authorities in 2018 about "worrying and disturbing allegations" against her father. She has had a difficult relationship with her father for a long time. Thomas Markle did not travel to his daughter's wedding in Great Britain in 2018. Instead, her father-in-law, the then heir to the throne Charles, led Meghan to the altar.