UK News | Royal Family
The Duchess of Sussex says she was told that allegations concerning her estranged father had been reported to British authorities in 2018. Philippine authorities are now investigating separate claims that Thomas Markle possessed child sexual abuse images. He denies the accusations, and no finding of criminal guilt has been established.
Meghan’s statement, issued on Friday 23 October 2026, followed reports by The Sun that her half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr, had reported his father to police after allegedly discovering suspected child sexual abuse material at his former home in the Philippines.
The allegations are serious and require a thorough investigation. They must also be distinguished from established facts: Thomas Markle denies possessing the material, and the available reporting does not establish that he has been charged or convicted of an offence.
Watch: Meghan Markle responds to allegations against her father
Key points
- Meghan says a letter raising concerns about her father was sent to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection in 2018.
- She says the letter was subsequently shared with her and that she was assured the allegations were being investigated.
- Philippine authorities have confirmed an investigation into the latest allegations.
- Thomas Markle denies possessing child sexual abuse images and has described the accusations as “sick lies”.
- The Metropolitan Police is understood to be examining the handling of the 2018 letter, rather than investigating him over the latest allegations.
- The investigation has not established criminal guilt.
Meghan says concerns were raised in 2018
In her statement, Meghan said she was deeply distressed by the latest reports and expressed concern for any children who may have been harmed.
She explained that a letter had been sent to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection in 2018, and that it was subsequently shared with her. She said she had been assured that the allegations were being investigated.
Meghan added:
“I hope it can now be understood that, despite certain media publications’ distortion over the years, any distance from my father and my choice to not allow him to have contact with our children, was for one reason: to protect them.”
She also said she had trusted the authorities to protect other families and called for justice to be served, with the safety of children remaining the priority.
The full contents of the 2018 letter have not been made public in the reporting reviewed for this article. It is therefore not possible to establish precisely what it alleged, who authored it or how closely its contents relate to the claims now being investigated in the Philippines.
Meghan’s statement provides her account of the concerns raised with her and the reasons she gives for keeping her father away from her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. It does not, by itself, establish the truth of the allegations.
What are Philippine authorities investigating?
According to reports, Thomas Markle Jr told authorities that he had discovered suspected child sexual abuse material at his father’s former home in Cebu, in the Philippines.
Philippine authorities have confirmed that a specialist task force dealing with human trafficking and online child sexual abuse and exploitation is investigating the matter.
Nicholas Ty, an undersecretary at the Philippine Department of Justice, told the BBC that the specialist task force was examining the allegations. Philippine Interior Minister Jonvic Remulla separately told the BBC that police had secured a computer associated with the case for digital forensic examination.
Reuters also reported on 23 October that the Philippine justice department had confirmed the investigation.
The central questions are what, if any, illegal material was present, who had access to the relevant devices, how the material came to be there and whether an offence occurred. Those questions require evidence and proper investigative procedures, not assumptions based on media reports or family disputes.
The available reporting does not establish that forensic examinations have been completed or that investigators have reached a conclusion.
Thomas Markle denies possessing the images
Thomas Markle has rejected the accusations, describing them as “sick lies” in comments reported by the media.
Reports say he has argued that he has not had access to the computers and phones in question since leaving Mexico for the Philippines in 2025. The circumstances surrounding the devices and the alleged material have not been independently established in the information reviewed.
Thomas Markle Jr is reported to have raised the allegations. His account is relevant to the investigation, but it remains an allegation rather than a judicial finding.
The reported family tensions make it particularly important to separate what each person has said from what investigators can demonstrate. A relative’s account should neither be treated as proof of guilt nor dismissed as false without evidence.
The appropriate course is a thorough, impartial investigation. If evidence establishes that an offence has occurred, the authorities should act through the applicable legal process. Until then, Thomas Markle’s denial and the unproven status of the allegations must be made clear.
Why the Metropolitan Police is involved
The 2018 letter raises a separate issue concerning how British authorities handled information about the alleged concerns.
Meghan says the letter was sent to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection before being shared with her. According to BBC and Sky News reporting, the Metropolitan Police is not currently investigating Thomas Markle over the latest allegations. The force is understood to be conducting an internal inquiry into whether the royal protection unit passed the letter to Meghan.
Sky News reported that information of this kind could have been shared because of potential implications for the couple’s security. That does not establish what the police knew, what action they took or whether the allegations in the letter were substantiated.
The internal inquiry may help clarify how the letter was handled. Its outcome has not been reported in the material reviewed, and it remains unclear whether the concerns raised in 2018 are directly connected to the allegations now being investigated in the Philippines.
Any assessment of the police response should be based on the documented timeline, the information available to officers at the time and the actions they took—not on assumptions about what they knew.
The history of Meghan’s estrangement from her father
Meghan’s relationship with her father deteriorated in the period surrounding her wedding to Prince Harry in May 2018.
Thomas Markle withdrew from the wedding after controversy over photographs staged with paparazzi photographers in the run-up to the ceremony. He cited health problems. Charles, then Prince of Wales and now King Charles III, accompanied Meghan for the final part of her walk down the aisle at St George’s Chapel.
The estrangement subsequently became a recurring subject of media coverage. Thomas Markle has spoken publicly about his relationship with his daughter and his inability to meet her children, while Meghan has generally kept the details of the dispute private.
Her latest statement offers further information about what she says she knew in 2018 and why she chose to prevent contact between her father and her children. It does not disclose the full contents of the letter or resolve every question surrounding their relationship.
The distinction matters: the family history provides context, but it cannot determine whether the latest allegations are true.
What happens next?
The immediate priority is the Philippine investigation, including the examination of any relevant digital evidence. Investigators will need to establish the nature and origin of any material, its connection to the people involved and whether there is sufficient evidence to support criminal proceedings.
The Metropolitan Police’s internal inquiry may separately clarify how the 2018 letter was handled and whether the appropriate procedures were followed. The available reporting does not establish whether its findings will be made public.
Further statements from the authorities or the people involved may clarify the position. Until then, the allegations against Thomas Markle remain unproven, and his denial remains part of the public record.
Meghan has made clear that she wants the safety of children to remain the priority. The investigation must now establish the facts, with any criminal responsibility determined through evidence and due process.
Frequently asked questions
What allegations have been made against Thomas Markle?
Reports say his son, Thomas Markle Jr, told authorities that he discovered suspected child sexual abuse material at his father’s former home in the Philippines. Philippine authorities have confirmed an investigation, but the allegations have not been established as fact.
Has Thomas Markle denied the allegations?
Yes. He has denied possessing the images and described the accusations as “sick lies”, according to media reports.
What did Meghan know in 2018?
Meghan says a letter containing troubling allegations about her father was sent to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection. She says it was subsequently shared with her and that she was assured the concerns were being investigated. The full contents of the letter have not been made public in the reporting reviewed.
Are the Metropolitan Police investigating Thomas Markle?
The supplied BBC and Sky News reports say the Metropolitan Police is not currently investigating him over the latest allegations. The force is understood to be examining how the 2018 letter was handled.
Have investigators established that a crime occurred?
No such finding is established in the material reviewed. Philippine authorities have confirmed an investigation, but the allegations remain unproven and Thomas Markle denies them.
Sources
- BBC News — Reporting on Meghan’s statement and the allegations
- Sky News — Meghan says she is deeply distressed by allegations against her father
- Reuters — Reporting on the Philippine investigation
This report distinguishes allegations from established findings. Thomas Markle denies the accusations, and the outcome of the investigation has not been established in the material reviewed.