Thomas Markle, the 82-year-old estranged father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, was arrested Friday outside Tampa, Florida, and charged with one count of possession of child pornography, the U.S. Justice Department announced. A federal criminal complaint alleges Markle kept child sexual abuse material, including sexually explicit photographs of himself with prepubescent girls, in two Los Angeles-area storage units he rented for nearly two decades.
Markle is expected to appear before the United States District Court in Tampa on Friday. If convicted, he faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
The charges follow an investigation prompted by Markle's son, Thomas Markle Jr., who told The Sun tabloid that he found "hundreds, if not thousands" of child sex abuse images while clearing out his father's former home in Cebu City, the Philippines. Markle Jr. said he alerted Philippine police and contacted the FBI.
Philippine authorities reported recovering about 7,500 photographs and one video depicting underage children from electronic devices linked to the inquiry. Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said some of the children appeared to be as young as 10 or 11. Investigators stressed the findings do not yet establish who owned, produced, or distributed the material.
Markle has previously denied possessing child sexual abuse images and rejected the allegations.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, said last month she was "deeply distressed" by the reports and revealed that a letter containing what she called "troubling and disturbing allegations" about her father had been sent to London's Metropolitan Police in 2018. She said she had been assured the allegations were being investigated, and that her long-standing estrangement from her father was intended to protect her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. The ABC understands she will not comment on the arrest.
Thursday, Philippine authorities named Thomas Markle Jr. as a person of interest in the inquiry. Remulla said investigators were examining information suggesting underage girls may have visited his home in Cebu, and stressed he is not being treated as a suspect.
Markle Sr. suffered a stroke earlier this year while living in the Philippines and had his left leg amputated, forcing his return to the United States.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The charges bring a prominent figure connected to the British royal family into a major criminal investigation, drawing worldwide attention to the case.
- The multi-country probe involving the United States, the Philippines, and potentially Mexico underscores the transnational nature of child sexual abuse material investigations.
- The case adds another dimension to the long-running public rift between Meghan and her father, with Meghan citing the safety of her children as the reason for their estrangement.
Background
Thomas Markle Sr., a retired television lighting and photography director, became estranged from his daughter Meghan after she married Prince Harry in 2018. He did not attend the wedding. The family rift has played out in the media for years. Markle had been living in the Philippines before his stroke earlier this year. He has denied the allegations against him.
Key Perspectives
U.S. Justice Department: charged Thomas Markle with one count of possession of child pornography, alleging he kept child sexual abuse material in storage units and that the material included explicit photographs of himself with minor girls.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex: said she was deeply distressed by the reports; revealed she had been aware of allegations against her father since 2018 and that her decision to keep distance was to protect her children.
Thomas Markle Jr.: reported finding hundreds or thousands of images to Philippine police and the FBI; said he will not speak to his father again unless called to give evidence.
Philippine authorities: recovered about 7,500 photos and a video from devices; named Markle Jr. a person of interest in a separate line of inquiry but not a suspect.
Markle Sr.: has denied possessing child sexual abuse images.
What to Watch
- Markle's initial court appearance and any plea.
- Whether the Philippine investigation produces further charges or identifies additional individuals.
- Possible expansion of the probe to material reportedly examined in Mexico.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 2 sources: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedThomas Markle, Meghan’s father, was arrested in Florida on charges related to child sexual abuse material.The Age - Latest News: “Thomas Markle snr, the estranged father of Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, was arrested on Friday morning (US time) by federal agents in Florida on charges related to child sexual abuse material”
- SupportedThe 82-year-old was taken into custody near Tampa after reports that images were found at his former home in the Philippines.The Age - Latest News: “The 82-year-old was arrested outside Tampa, according to the people who were not authorised to publicly discuss the investigation and spoke on the condition of anonymity. His arrest follows reports by The Sun”
- SupportedTwo people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press that Markle was arrested on Friday morning US time by federal agents; they spoke anonymously and were not authorised to discuss the investigation publicly.The Age - Latest News: “two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. The 82-year-old was arrested outside Tampa, according to the people who were not authorised to publicly discuss the investigation and spoke on the condition of anonymity.”
- SupportedThe Sun reported that Markle’s half-brother found child sexual abuse images while clearing out their father’s home in the Philippines.The Age - Latest News: “His arrest follows reports by The Sun, a British tabloid newspaper, that Meghan’s half brother found a collection of child sexual abuse images while clearing out the home of their father in the Philippines.”
- SupportedMeghan said she was “deeply distressed” by allegations that child sexual abuse images had been found at her father’s former home.The Age - Latest News: “Meghan Markle, the wife of Prince Harry, recently said she was “deeply distressed” by allegations that a collection of child sexual abuse images had been found at her father’s former home.”
- SupportedMeghan said a letter containing troubling allegations about her father had been sent to London police in 2018.The Age - Latest News: “She also revealed that a letter containing “troubling allegations” about him had been sent to London police in 2018.”
- SupportedMeghan said the letter made troubling and disturbing allegations against her father and that she was assured they were being investigated.The Age - Latest News: ““It made troubling and disturbing allegations against my father and I was given assurances that these were being investigated,” Meghan said of the letter.”
- SupportedMeghan said she kept her father at a distance and did not allow contact with her children to protect them.The Age - Latest News: ““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.””
- SupportedAccording to The Sun, Thomas Markle Jr found “hundreds, if not thousands” of child sex abuse images in boxes at his father’s former home in Cebu City.The Age - Latest News: “The Sun reported that Thomas Markle jr recently found “hundreds, if not thousands” of child sex abuse images in boxes at his father’s former home in Cebu City, in the Philippines”
- SupportedThomas Markle Jr told The Sun he would not speak to his father again unless called to give evidence against him.The Age - Latest News: ““I won’t speak to my father ever again unless I’m called to give evidence against him.””
- SupportedMarkle suffered a stroke and had his left leg amputated while living in the Philippines earlier this year, forcing him to return to the US.The Age - Latest News: “Thomas Markle snr was living in the Philippines earlier this year when he suffered a stroke and had his left leg amputated. That forced him to return to the US.”
- SupportedMarkle was named as a person of interest in the case earlier this week.UK news | The Guardian: “He was named as a person of interest in the case earlier this week.”