Meghan says she was told of allegations against father in 2018, distanced children for protection

Thomas Markle denies possessing child sexual abuse images, calls accusations 'sick lies'

By LineZotpaper

Published23 October 2026

Updated23 October 2026

Read Time2 min

Sources5 outlets

The Duchess of Sussex has said she was informed of 'disturbing allegations' about her estranged father, Thomas Markle, in 2018, as reports emerged that images of child sexual abuse allegedly belonging to him were found at his former home in the Philippines. Meghan said she worked to keep distance from her father to protect her children, while Markle denied the claims.

The Duchess of Sussex issued a statement saying she was deeply distressed by news that has come to light in the last 24 hours. She confirmed that a letter containing allegations against her father was sent to the Metropolitan Police in 2018 and subsequently shared with her. She said she was given assurance that the allegations were being investigated.

Meghan said she hoped it could be understood why she had kept her distance from her father and did not allow him to have contact with her children. 'This was to protect them,' she added, and she said she trusted that the authorities were doing the same for other families.

She described the allegations as 'more sickening than one could ever imagine' and said her sincerest hope is that justice will be served and that the safety and protection of innocent children remain the priority.

Thomas Markle, in an interview with the Daily Mail, denied possessing child sexual abuse images, calling the accusations 'sick lies'.

Analysis

Why This Matters

The Duchess's public statement adds new context to her estrangement from her father, a subject of longstanding public interest.
The allegations involve child protection, a matter of societal significance, prompting scrutiny of how they were handled.
A potential police investigation could bring legal implications for Thomas Markle and affect Meghan's public role.

Background

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, married Prince Harry in 2018 and has been publicly estranged from her father, Thomas Markle, since around that time. The couple stepped back from senior royal duties in 2020 and now live in the United States. Reports of child sexual abuse images allegedly found at Markle's home in the Philippines surfaced this week, prompting Meghan's statement.

Key Perspectives

The Duchess of Sussex: Said she was informed of allegations in 2018 and acted to protect her children, hoping justice would be served. Thomas Markle: Denied the allegations as false, calling them 'sick lies'.

What to Watch

Whether the Metropolitan Police or Philippine authorities announce an investigation.
Any further public statements from Thomas Markle or legal action.
Implications for Meghan's public engagements and security concerns for her children.

Sources

Breaking: Meghan Markle 'disturbed' by allegations her father possessed child sexual abuse material · Just In
Duchess of Sussex ‘deeply distressed’ over child sexual abuse image claims against father · UK news | The Guardian
Meghan says police told of allegations against father in 2018 - The Times · "site:thetimes.com when:1d" - Google News
Meghan says she was informed about 'disturbing allegations' against her father in 2018 · BBC News
Duchess of Sussex ‘deeply distressed’ over child sexual abuse image claims against father · World news | The Guardian

Checked

9 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 8 supported.

Show each claim

SupportedMeghan said she was informed of allegations against her father in 2018 and kept her children away from him for their protection.BBC News: “The Duchess of Sussex has said she was informed about "disturbing allegations" about her estranged father in 2018.”
SupportedThomas Markle denied possessing child sexual abuse images and called the accusations “sick lies”.BBC News: “In an interview with the Daily Mail, Thomas Markle denied possessing child sex images, calling the accusations "sick lies".”
SupportedReports said images of child sexual abuse allegedly belonging to Thomas Markle were found at his former home in the Philippines.BBC News: “Her comments come after reports that images of child sexual abuse allegedly belonging to her father had been found at his former home in the Philippines”
SupportedMeghan said a letter containing allegations against her father was sent to the Metropolitan Police in 2018 and subsequently shared with her.BBC News: “In a statement, Meghan said a letter containing allegations against Thomas Markle was sent to the Metropolitan Police that year and subsequently shared with her.”
SupportedMeghan said she was assured the allegations were being investigated.BBC News: “She said that when she received the letter outlining allegations against her father, she was "given assurance that these were being investigated".”
SupportedMeghan said her choice not to allow her father contact with her children was to protect them.BBC News: “She added she hoped it could be understood why she had kept her distance from her father and did "not allow him to have contact with our children". This was "to protect them", she said”
SupportedMeghan described the allegations as “more sickening than one could ever imagine”.BBC News: “Meghan described the allegations as "more sickening than one could ever imagine"”
Partly supportedMeghan said her hope was that justice would be served.BBC News: “my "sincerest hope is that justice will be fully served and that the priority remains the safety and protection of innocent children".”
SupportedMeghan said she trusted that authorities were doing the same for other families.BBC News: “she had "trusted that the authorities were doing the same for other families".”