Meghan Markle’s Father Investigated Over Child Abuse Image Allegations: Duchess Reveals Why She Kept Archie and Lilibet Away

0:03 Hello and welcome to Palace Intrigue. I am your host, Mark Francis. A warning before we begin. The top story concerns very serious allegations that may not be suitable for all audiences. Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, says she was told about troubling and disturbing allegations against her father in 2018... and says her decision to keep him away from her children was to protect them. Her statement follows reports that authorities in the Philippines are investigating Thomas Markle over allegations that he possessed child sexual abuse images. His son, Thomas Markle Jr., claims he discovered the material among his father's belongings at a property in Cebu. Thomas Markle Sr. denies the allegations. Speaking to the Daily Mail, he said, I'm shocked, I'm hurt. The Philippine Department of Justice has confirmed an investigation.

1:02 Undersecretary Nicholas Tai told the country's state news agency that authorities were currently investigating the matter. The Sun first published the allegations on Thursday. The newspaper reported that Thomas Markle Jr. had given investigators a sworn statement describing the discovery of suspected child sexual abuse material in boxes containing his father's possessions.

1:42 He told the newspaper, When I found this material, I was horrified and I had no option but to report my dad. 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. According to his account, the boxes contained family keepsakes, books, phones, and computer equipment. He alleges that he found hundreds, if not thousands, of child sexual abuse images. He also says he enlisted an IT specialist to examine computer hard drives. The Sun reports that he contacted American authorities in July, including the FBI and police in Pennsylvania.

2:22 The reports available here do not include confirmation from the FBI that it has opened an investigation. Thomas Markle Jr. had helped care for his father following a stroke in 2022. His sister, Samantha Markle, has rejected his allegations, she told the Daily Mail. There is no merit in these disgusting allegations whatsoever, and my brother is disgusting for making them up. He wants to destroy our dad. Shame on him. Meghan responded to the reports on Friday with a statement through her spokesperson. She said, I am deeply distressed at the news that has come to light in the last 24 hours and my thoughts are with my children who may have been harmed. In 2018, a letter was sent to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection. That letter was subsequently shared with me. It made troubling and disturbing allegations against my father and I was given assurances that these were being investigated. I hope it can now be understood that despite certain media publications' distortion over the years, any distance from my father and my choice remains to not allow him to have contact with our children was for one reason, to protect them. I trusted that the authorities were doing the same for other families. 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 BBC, ITV and The Guardian report that Meghan was shown the letter after her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018... The letter

3:54 itself has not been published in the material supplied and the precise allegations it contained have not been disclosed. It has not been established whether they concerned the same material Thomas Michael Jr. now claims to have found. Meghan and her father have been estranged since 2018 when their relationship broke down in the run-up to her wedding. He had cooperated with a photographer to stage pictures of himself preparing for the ceremony. He later withdrew from attending, citing health problems. King Charles, then the Prince of Wales, accompanied Meghan down the aisle. Thomas Markle has never met Prince Harry or his grandchildren, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. In interviews over the years, he has spoken about wanting to repair the relationship and meet the children. Meghan's statement today says her decision to prevent that contact followed allegations she had been told were under investigation. More palace in just a moment.

4:51 Thomas Markle gave a fuller account of his denial to the Daily Mail, saying he repeatedly asked his son to return the computers, now at the centre of the allegations. He told the newspaper, Those computers were boxed up in Mexico and put on a cargo ship which took months to get to the Philippines. I kept asking Tom for my computers, but he wouldn't give them to me. Tom told me they were in the basement of an apartment block we were living in. I could never understand why he wouldn't give them to me. I don't know who had access to the computers. Markle said he was subsequently taken ill and spent time in hospital and rehabilitation. Whenever I asked Tom to bring my computers to me, he refused. He said he would welcome a forensic examination of the machines to establish whether the alleged material was downloaded while they were in his possession. I have never downloaded anything like that in my life, he said. He also alleged that a financial dispute preceded his son's accusations. Tom came to live with me after I had a stroke. I supported him financially. I've supported him financially for most of his life. That money stopped in July this year when a family member found he had been taking money from my account. The Daily Mail report carries no response from Thomas Markle Jr. to those allegations. Thomas Sr. said he was considering legal action. I don't know what I can do to defend myself. When someone accuses you of something like this, it goes all over the world in seconds and some people will believe it forever. It's devastating. And there you have it. I'm Mark Francis. My thanks to John McDermott. This is Palace Entry.