Philippines authorities are preparing to file criminal charges against Thomas Markle, the estranged father of Meghan Markle, for allegedly possessing child exploitative sexual material (CESM), according to ITV and reports.
The potential charges follow an investigation involving US and Philippine law enforcement. The FBI arrested the 82-year-old in Florida on Friday, charging him with one count of possessing child pornography. The investigation reportedly began after Meghan's half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr., contacted the FBI after discovering what he claimed was child sexual abuse material in his father's home in Cebu.
Thomas Markle Jr. allegedly provided four boxes of material, including digital devices and videotapes, to police in the Philippines. A subsequent search warrant allowed Philippine police to examine devices, which reportedly uncovered over 7,000 images and one video of under-age individuals, according to Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla. Officials described the material as depicting 'deplorable displays of impunity.'
Authorities are awaiting verification from the FBI, who have been tracking serial numbers on mobile phones, to confirm ownership by Thomas Markle Sr. before filing a criminal case. The FBI's tracking aims to prove the devices were owned by Markle.
Markle had previously lived in the Philippines before relocating to the US in May following the amputation of part of his leg. The Daily Mail reported that Mexican police raided a storage unit rented by Markle in Rosarito just one day after alerting the FBI. The unit, which Markle reportedly stopped paying rent on in 2024, was searched by state sex crimes investigators.
Following his arrest in Florida, Markle appeared in federal court in Tampa and was released under electronic monitoring. He was reportedly taken into custody in a wheelchair and visibly trembling.
According to the First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli, the seizure included approximately 78 items such as slides, film negatives, and books containing suspected child sexual abuse images. The Duchess of Sussex has previously stated she was 'deeply distressed' by allegations against her father and had not allowed him to meet her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, to protect them. She has been estranged from her father since her 2018 marriage to Prince Harry.