Samantha Markle has defended her father, Thomas Markle, against allegations of possessing child sexual abuse material, a stance that Richard Eden, Diary Editor for the Daily Mail, suggested is unlikely to improve his public image. The investigation into the 82-year-old estranged father of the Duchess of Sussex emerged last week.
Philippine police are investigating allegations that child sexual abuse material was found in boxes shipped to Cebu from his former home in Mexico. Thomas Markle, who has had no relationship with his daughter Meghan since 2018, has denied the accusations. According to The Sun, it was Thomas Markle Junior, his son, who alerted the authorities. He stated that he discovered the material while searching for an old phone in boxes his father had shipped.
Samantha Markle, 61, has publicly supported her father, who resides in a nursing home in Florida. She specifically addressed a photograph that The Sun claims shows her father with a young-looking Asian woman, suggesting it might have been a girlfriend. Samantha described a past girlfriend, Carolyn, as a Japanese woman who looked youthful due to her heritage, stating, "Asian women have great skin and are small and petite. They look much younger than they are."
Eden commented on Samantha's remarks, stating they "may do little to improve her father's reputation in the court of public opinion." He also expressed sympathy for Meghan Markle, particularly concerning a 2021 Fox News interview given by Thomas Markle Sr., which has taken on new significance in light of recent events. Meghan Markle had previously stated, via a statement, that she had been aware of allegations against her father since 2019. The statement was reportedly forwarded by the Metropolitan Police and concerned a letter from Thomas Markle's first wife, Roslyn Loveless, who died in 2024.
Eden argued that it would be "grotesque" to portray the Duchess as anything other than a victim in this situation. He highlighted the distress Meghan might have experienced upon learning of her half-brother's accusations against their father. Furthermore, he noted the potential jeopardy to Meghan's efforts to shield her children from her father, especially after Thomas Markle Sr. expressed his intention to petition a California court for visitation rights in his 2021 Fox News interview, while Meghan and Prince Harry were residing in California.
No charges have been filed as of yet. Philippine police are reportedly awaiting a warrant to examine the devices in question, with the FBI's Tampa office providing assistance.