Meghan Markle Reveals 2018 Child‑Abuse Allegations Were Why She Cut Off Her Father

On Friday, Meghan Markle issued a statement that sounded more like a sigh of relief than a press release. She said she was “deeply distressed” by the news that her 82‑year‑old father, Thomas Markle Sr., is now under investigation in the Philippines for alleged child‑porn material.

What most people didn’t know, until now, is that this wasn’t the first time the issue had surfaced. In 2018, a letter – the details of which remain murky – was sent to London’s Metropolitan Police and to Royalty and Specialist Protection. Meghan says she later received a copy of that letter, and it described “troubling and disturbing” allegations against her dad.

She added that the letter gave her “assurances that these were being investigated.” That, she explains, is why she chose to keep Thomas Markle Sr. out of her children’s lives. “My choice to not allow him to have contact with our children was for one reason: to protect them,” she wrote.

The Duchess didn’t go into the nitty‑gritty of what the 2018 missive actually said, nor did she reveal who authored it or when exactly it was dispatched – before or after her wedding to Prince Harry. What is clear, however, is that the shadow of those accusations has lingered for years.

Back in May 2019, Thomas Markle Sr. was supposed to walk his daughter down the aisle. A last‑minute heart‑issue scandal—coupled with a paparazzi fiasco—saw King Charles step in instead. Since then, the relationship has been a public roller coaster, and this latest development adds another, darker twist.

According to the Sun, the alleged stash of illegal images was uncovered by Meghan’s half‑brother, Thomas Jr., who claimed to have found “hundreds, if not thousands” of graphic files in four cardboard boxes at their father’s home in Cebu, Philippines. He says the discovery was accidental, triggered while searching for a phone for his Filipino girlfriend’s father.

The reports describe a chilling array: videos apparently showing children as young as ten, still images of barely clothed girls, and even a screenshot from a laptop that allegedly originated from a house in Rosarito, Mexico. The brother says he reported the material to the FBI, Pennsylvania state police, and the National Centre for Exploited and Missing Children.

Thomas Markle Sr. has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, calling the claims “sick lies.” Even his own daughter, Samantha Markle, has dismissed the allegations as “unsubstantiated.” Yet the brother’s claims, if true, paint a picture far more disturbing than any tabloid rumor.

Meghan concluded her statement with a plea for justice and, above all, the safety of children. “My sincerest hope is that justice will be fully served and that the priority remains the safety and protection of innocent children,” she said, adding that she remains “deeply distressed” by the unfolding saga.