Thomas Markle Sr., the estranged father of Meghan Markle, is the subject of an investigation after child sex abuse material was found at his former home in the Philippines.
Thomas Markle Jr. told The Sun in October 2026 that he allegedly discovered child sex abuse material (CSAM) in boxes at his father’s home and alerted authorities.
Meghan, who has been distanced from her father since 2018, issued a statement noting that she is “deeply distressed” by the accusations. Thomas Sr., for his part, has publicly refuted the accusations and denied ever having sex with a minor.
Scroll below to learn more about the allegations, the family’s response and the status of the case:
Thomas Markle Sr. Faces Investigation Over Alleged CSAM Discovery
The Sun reported in October 2026 that Thomas Sr. is being probed after his son, Thomas Jr., allegedly discovered a cache of child sex abuse material in boxes at his father’s home in the Philippines. Thomas Jr. told the outlet he turned the material over to local police and contacted the FBI. He is also in the process of handing relevant evidence to Filipino authorities.
“When I found this material, I was horrified and I had no option but to report my dad,” Thomas Jr. told The Sun. “I have supported, cared for him and helped him for years — but that stops now. I won’t speak to my father ever again unless I’m called to give evidence against him.”
Thomas Jr. had reportedly acted as his father’s primary caregiver after Thomas Sr. suffered a stroke in 2022. The pair moved to Cebu Island in January 2025 before returning to the U.S. the next year. Thomas Sr., who is now reportedly living in a nursing home in Florida, has not yet been arrested in either the Philippines or the United States.
Meghan Markle Breaks Her Silence on the Allegations
In a statement shared with Us, Meghan said troubling claims about her father were flagged to British authorities years before news broke of the probe.
“In 2018, a letter was sent to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection. That letter was subsequently shared with me,” she wrote. “It made troubling and disturbing allegations against my father and I was given assurances that these were being investigated.”
Meghan — who shares two children with her husband, Prince Harry — framed her long estrangement from Thomas Sr. as a decision made to protect her own kids.
“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 said. “I trusted that the authorities were doing the same for other families.”
She added, “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. Although the breadth of what has now been uncovered is more sickening than one could ever imagine, my sincerest hope is that justice will be fully served and that the priority remains the safety and protection of innocent children.”
The letter, according to The Sun, included accusations that Thomas Sr. had allegedly admitted to sexually abusing a minor. Police later confirmed to The Sun that the letter was received in January 2019 and subsequently shared with Meghan.
“The details of the allegations in the letter were not shared with other law enforcement agencies,” a police spokesperson said in a statement.
Samantha Markle Defends Dad Thomas Markle Against the Claims
Meghan’s half-sister, Samantha Markle, pushed back on the allegations against their father. In an October 2026 interview with the Daily Mail, Samantha accused her brother of inventing the story after a financial arrangement with Thomas Sr. came to an end.
“There is no merit in these disgusting allegations whatsoever and my brother is disgusting for making them up,” Samantha claimed. “He wants to destroy our dad. Shame on him. My brother first came out with these lies a few weeks ago when the cash from my dad was cut off. He has used dad as a cash cow for years and once the money stopped he made up the most outrageous lies he could to try and make money from the media.”
Samantha also raised questions about the chain of custody of the devices in question. “There is no proof my dad downloaded any images. Those computers were out of his possession for two years. That leaves a lot of room for tampering,” she alleged. “Dad was in a rehabilitation facility and did not have access to those computers.”
Us has reached out to Thomas Jr. for comment.
Thomas Markle Sr. Addresses Investigation
Thomas Sr. also denied the allegations.
“I’m shocked, I’m hurt and I’m very upset that my son is making these accusations against me,” he told the Daily Mail in October 2026, slamming the “sick lies.”
He continued, “I could never do what I’m being accused of. It’s the worst thing anyone could accuse me of. This is bulls***. It’s just a bunch of lies. It’s sick. I have no idea why Tom is trying to destroy me with these lies.”
Thomas Markle Sr. Arrested
The Associated Press reported on November 6, 2026, that Thomas Sr. was arrested by the FBI for possession of child pornography. He was released on bond the same day.
If you or someone you know is experiencing child abuse, call or text Child Help Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.
This story was compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists.
