Meghan Markle's Father Under Investigation for Child Abuse Images

Thomas Markle Snr, the father of Meghan Markle, is reportedly under investigation following a police report filed by his own son. The probe centers on a significant quantity of child abuse imagery allegedly found at Markle Snr's home in the Philippines.

Thomas Markle Jr. reportedly informed authorities that he discovered "hundreds" of images and a 15-minute video depicting child abuse in four large boxes at his father's residence in Cebu. According to reports, one image showed a laptop in the background that Thomas Jr. recognized as being from his father's former home in Mexico.

Thomas Jr. stated he found the material over the summer while searching for a mobile phone for his Filipino girlfriend. He reported his discovery on July 10 to the FBI Hotline, the U.S.-based National Center for Exploited and Missing Children, and the Pennsylvania state police, where his father was residing at the time. Filipino police have initiated an investigation and are preparing to seize the evidence.

These allegations have sparked a strong reaction from within the family. Samantha Markle, Meghan's half-sister, has vehemently denied the claims, calling them "disgusting" and without merit. Samantha, who is her father's primary caregiver, accused her brother Thomas Jr. of fabricating the story for financial gain and suggested their father might have been framed.

Samantha stated that the story, as reported, is factually incorrect, specifically regarding the location where the boxes were found. She claims the computers were packed in Mexico, shipped, and then stored in a building's basement in the Philippines, with her father having no access to them for two years. She asserted that the boxes were in Thomas Jr.'s possession and that anyone could have accessed the computers during that period.

"There is no merit in these disgusting allegations whatsoever and my brother is disgusting for making them up," Samantha said. "He wants to destroy our dad. Shame on him."

Samantha alleged that her brother first raised these claims weeks prior, coinciding with a cutoff in financial support from their father. She characterized him as having used their father as a "cash cow" for years and resorting to "outrageous lies" to profit from the media.

She further explained that her father's computers were out of his possession for two years, leaving ample opportunity for tampering. "These are unsubstantiated allegations," she stated, adding that their father was in a rehabilitation facility and did not have access to the computers. Samantha firmly believes her father is innocent and that there is no way to prove the allegations.

Thomas Markle Snr. has been estranged from his daughter Meghan since 2018, the year of her marriage to Prince Harry. He suffered two heart attacks prior to the wedding, preventing him from attending. He has never met his grandchildren, Archie and Lilibet. Markle Snr. has faced significant health issues, including a stroke in 2022 that led to the amputation of his left leg below the knee in December. He has also experienced multiple heart attacks and undergone further medical treatment, including a heart stent placement.

Samantha described her 82-year-old father as being in poor health and "hanging on by a thread," with severe physical and cognitive issues. She accused her brother of having a long-standing "vendetta" against their father and suggested his motivation is financial revenge.

Thomas Jr. had moved to live near his father in Rosarito, Mexico, after their father's stroke in 2022. The two relocated to the Philippines in early 2025 for a fresh start, but Thomas Snr. returned to the U.S. earlier this year for medical treatment and to be fitted with a prosthetic leg.

Samantha expressed her unwavering support for her father, criticizing the timing of these allegations during his fragile health. She also claimed her brother is responsible for delays in seeking adequate medical care for their father in the Philippines, which may have contributed to his leg amputation.