Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, said she was informed in 2018 about "disturbing allegations" against her estranged father, Thomas Markle, according to a statement she released after reports emerged of child sexual abuse images allegedly found at his former home in the Philippines.
Meghan said a letter containing the allegations was sent to the Metropolitan Police that year and subsequently shared with her. She stated she was "given assurance that these were being investigated" and that she kept her distance from her father and did not allow him contact with her children "to protect them."
Thomas Markle, 82, denies possessing any such images. The Sun newspaper first reported the allegations after Meghan's half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr, alleged he found child abuse images at their father's home in the Philippines and reported them to police.
The Philippines Department of Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Ty told the BBC that "the matter is currently being investigated" by an anti-human trafficking and child sexual exploitation task force in Cebu. Philippines Interior Minister Jonvic Remulla said national police had secured Thomas Markle Snr's computer for digital forensic examination. Investigators are analysing the data, with results expected within one week, Remulla said.
The Metropolitan Police has not and is not currently investigating Meghan's father, according to the BBC. Officers are conducting an internal inquiry to confirm whether the Met's royal protection unit passed the letter to the Duchess.
Meghan said in her statement: "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." She described the allegations as "more sickening than one could ever imagine" and said her "sincerest hope is that justice will be fully served and that the priority remains the safety and protection of innocent children."
Meghan first learned of the allegations after her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry, according to BBC sources. The Sussexes' spokesman denied that the allegations played a part in their decision to return to the UK in August after six years in the US.
Thomas Markle, a former TV lighting director, moved to the Philippines in 2025 after a series of strokes. He is reportedly now living in a rehabilitation centre in Florida after leg amputation surgery in December 2025.